Telangana, AP Power Discoms Hit by Malware Attack

A Ransomware is a malicious software designed by hackers to lock someone’s computer system/server. Generally, such hackers demand huge money from the computer owners in lieu of unlocking the system or they threaten to publish data of the owner.

The computer systems of power distribution companies (discoms) of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh states have been attacked by a ‘Ransomware’, said Hyderabad police.

A Ransomware is a malicious software designed by hackers to lock someone’s computer system/ server. Generally, such hackers demand huge money from the computer owners in lieu of unlocking the system or they threaten to publish data of the owner.

According to the police officials, quoted PTI, all the data servers of these discoms were down, and work has already begun to rectify the glitch, which would be restored perhaps by Friday.

Commenting on the development, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Cyber Crimes) KCS Raghu Vir said, “We have registered an FIR and are investigating.”

The cyber crime wing of the Hyderabad police has already commenced an investigation on the matter.

Informing about the incident, police said that, a staff of the Power Distribution Company of Telangana received a mail from an unknown person and the staff inadvertently clicked on it and the virus attack took over the entire systems.

The official further added that, along with the Telangana systems, the computer systems of power utilities in Andhra Pradesh also came under the malware attack because it is linked with each other.

However, whether cyber attackers sought ransom, police said the investigation was at a preliminary stage and they were verifying.