In late May 2025, Indian grocery delivery startup KiranaPro faced a significant cyberattack that led to the deletion of its servers and loss of critical data. The incident has raised concerns about internal security protocols and the importance of proper employee
🔍 What really happened at KiranaPro?
KiranaPro, operating on the Indian government’s Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), discovered on May 26 that it had lost access to its backend servers. The company’s GitHub repository and Amazon Web Services (AWS) accounts were compromised, resulting in the deletion of application code and customer data .
🧑💻 Internal Breach vs. External Hack ? What was it ?
Initially, CEO Deepak Ravindran attributed the breach to a former employee who retained access to company systems post-departure. However, he later acknowledged the possibility of external actors exploiting the unsecured account .
🔐 Security Lapses Identified by KiranaPro Admin ?
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Unrevoked Access: The former employee’s credentials were not deactivated, leaving systems vulnerable.
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Lack of HR Oversight: Absence of a dedicated HR team led to inadequate offboarding procedures.
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MFA Concerns: Although multi-factor authentication was in place, it’s unclear how unauthorized access occurred .techcrunch.com
📊 Impact Assessment
| Affected Component | Details |
|---|---|
| GitHub Repository | Application code deleted |
| AWS Infrastructure | Customer data and transaction details compromised |
| Operations | Service disruption across 50 cities |
| Employee Morale | Delayed salary payments reported |
🛠️ Recovery Efforts
KiranaPro has initiated steps to recover from the breach:
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Data Restoration: Backups from employees were used to restore GitHub data.
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AWS Access: Regained control over AWS accounts and customer data.
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Security Enhancements: Implemented stricter access controls and audit logging .
📈 Lessons for Startups
This incident underscores the importance of:
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Robust Offboarding Processes: Ensure immediate revocation of access for departing employees.
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Dedicated HR and IT Teams: Implement structured protocols for employee transitions.
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Regular Security Audits: Conduct periodic reviews to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities.
🔗 Further Reading
📺 Insightful Video :
To gain more insights into the importance of cybersecurity for startups, watch the following video:
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💬 What people think about this ?
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🛡️ Startup Alert: KiranaPro’s data breach is a wake-up call for founders everywhere. Weak offboarding = open backdoor! 🔐 #CyberSecurity #Startups
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🚨 “Not a hack”? Internal breach still compromised thousands of user records. What really went wrong at #KiranaPro? 🤔
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💡 Data loss is a startup killer. KiranaPro survived, but not without scars. Learn what went wrong — and how your company can avoid it. 🧯
📌 Expert Tips for Founders to Prevent Similar Disasters
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Automate Offboarding:
Use SaaS platforms like Okta, JumpCloud, or Google Workspace Admin to instantly revoke employee access across all tools upon termination. -
Enable Audit Logging:
Use GitHub’s built-in audit log features and cloud-based logging like AWS CloudTrail to detect suspicious activity in real-time. -
Backups Are Life:
Use automated scheduled backups with cloud providers. Services like GitProtect or Rewind.io can back up GitHub repositories reliably. -
Zero Trust Framework:
Grant access only on a need-to-use basis. Adopt principle of least privilege (PoLP). -
Postmortem Culture:
Always run a transparent and documented post-incident analysis, involving security consultants.
🧠 Why This Incident Matters for the Indian Tech Ecosystem
KiranaPro’s misstep comes at a time when India’s digital commerce ecosystem is maturing rapidly under initiatives like ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce). As startups scale, digital hygiene must evolve from an afterthought to a strategic priority.
Moreover, this case highlights a broader issue in Indian tech startups: the over-reliance on “founder intuition” without matching investments in cybersecurity, HR protocols, and risk governance.
🧾 Quick Comparison: KiranaPro vs Other ONDC Apps (Security View)
| Feature | KiranaPro (Pre-Incident) | JioMart | Paytm Mall |
|---|---|---|---|
| MFA Enabled | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Employee Offboarding | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Audit Logging | ❌ Incomplete | ✅ Full | ✅ Full |
| Incident Response Plan | ❌ None | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| HR & Legal Compliance Team | ❌ None | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
🎥 YouTube Video for Deeper Insights
🔗 Get to know more details by using below links :
✍️What we at CodeHarper think about this :
KiranaPro’s situation is a textbook example of how fast-scaling startups can overlook the basics of cybersecurity, only to learn the hard way. With rising digital threats and increasing scrutiny from users and investors, a strong security culture must be embedded from Day One.
Whether you’re a tech founder, CTO, or product manager — now is the time to ask:
“Is our digital house in order?”
