HighLights
  1. Nisarga Adhikary inducted into the US DoJ Cybersecurity Hall of Fame.
  2. Recognized for flagging major security flaws in CBSE OSM portal.
  3. IIT Kanpur appointed him OSINT and Threat Intelligence Engineer.

Nisarga DoJ Hall of Fame:  Nisarga Adhikary, a Nineteen-year-old cybersecurity researcher who previously flagged major security flaws in the Central Board of Secondary Education's (CBSE) On-Screen Marking (OSM) portal, now has been named to the US (United States) Department of Justice's (DoJ) Cybersecurity Hall of Fame. The DoJ's Hall of Fame recognises cybersecurity researchers worldwide who identify critical vulnerabilities in government systems and responsibly report them through official disclosure programs.

Journey From Teen Curiosity to IIT Kanpur C3iHub Specialist:


Adhikary shared the milestone on X (formerly Twitter), marking a significant achievement in his career transition from a student researcher to an ethical hacking professional. In June 2026, IIT Kanpur appointed Adhikary as an Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) and Threat Intelligence Engineer at C3iHub, the institute's specialised cybersecurity-focused technology innovation hub. Speaking about his background, Adhikary noted that his fascination with computers began early and evolved into serious bug hunting after he started exploring cybersecurity around age 13.

CBSE OSM Brought Nisarga On Spotlight:

The official first drew public attention in May 2026 when he exposed several security vulnerabilities in the portal used for CBSE's new 'On-Screen Marking' (OSM) system. He stated that he had discovered serious flaws that could have allowed unauthorized access to accounts and evaluation-related operations. Initially, CBSE denied that its actual evaluation portal had been compromised.

The issue remained a topic of discussion, and the official subsequently reported further vulnerabilities regarding access to answer scripts and question papers. Later, CBSE acknowledged the flaws in its service provider's OSM portal and stated that government agencies and cybersecurity experts from IITs had been deployed to strengthen the system.

Understanding CBSE's On-Screen Marking (OSM) System Vulnerability:

The CBSE On-Screen Marking (OSM) portal is an essential digital platform used by CBSE-affiliated schools across India to upload, verify, and manage students' internal and board examination marks. Adhikary's early technical work identifying and reporting systemic flaws in the platform brought his research national prominence, underscoring the critical role ethical hackers play in safeguarding public education infrastructure.

What is DoJ Hall Of Fame?

The US Department of Justice (DoJ) Cybersecurity Hall of Fame is an official online acknowledgements page maintained by the US Department of Justice to honor independent ethical hackers and cybersecurity researchers.


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