Rejected Cybersecurity Applicant Allegedly Hacks IIT Madras Portal: "All I Need Is A Fair Chance"

A purported cybersecurity enthusiast has sparked widespread debate online after allegedly hacking the websites of IIT Madras and IIT Kanpur, claiming the act was meant to draw attention to what he described as an unfair admissions process. According to screenshots widely shared on Reddit, the individual claimed he had applied to IIT Madras' Bachelor of Science in Cyber Security (BCyber) programme but was not shortlisted despite paying the application fee, submitting all required documents and showcasing his cybersecurity work.

The alleged hacker left a message for the institutes, insisting that no harm was intended and that the breach was only an attempt to get the authorities' attention.  

At the centre of the message was the line: "All I need is just a fair chance."

See the post here:

After IITK, IIT Madras SSP portal is hacked by HIM
by u/Dark_Fury_ in GATEtard

The individual claimed he had been coding since the age of 13 and had dedicated years to learning cybersecurity, even at the cost of his academic grades. He said that, like many aspiring cybersecurity professionals, he faced pressure to prioritise conventional engineering entrance exams over pursuing his passion.

The message also questioned the admission process, alleging that his skills exceeded those of several shortlisted candidates. It further claimed that eight seats in the programme remained vacant after some selected applicants were unable to clear the required Capture the Flag (CTF) challenges.

The screenshots also contained unverified claims that the individual had gained access to administrative servers, databases, payment systems, applicant information, source code and other sensitive institutional resources at IIT Madras and IIT Kanpur. These assertions have not been independently verified.

The alleged hacker further claimed to have repeatedly informed IIT Kanpur about security vulnerabilities and requested a review of his application but said his emails went unanswered. According to the note, the lack of response ultimately prompted the alleged breach.

Around the time the screenshots began circulating, users reported seeing a "502 Bad Gateway" error on the affected websites. However, it remains unclear whether the outage was linked to the alleged cyberattack.

The incident quickly went viral on social media, with users divided over the alleged actions. While some condemned the reported breach as illegal regardless of the motive, others argued it highlighted flaws in how cybersecurity talent is identified and evaluated.