The global cyber attack that crippled systems in around 99 countries on Friday affected computers in Andhra Pradesh’s Police Departments, as well. Computers in 18 police stations in the districts of Visakhatpatnam, Krishna, Guntur, Chittoor and Srikakulam were hit by the “ransomware”, Hindustan Times reported on Saturday.
Director General of Police N Sambasiva Rao told the daily that the computers that run on Windows operating system had been affected in the breach, but that his Apple-made Mac was safe. As many as 102 computer systems used by the Andhra Pradesh Police were hacked on Saturday, according to The Times of India.
Superintendent of Police of Tirupati (Urban) R Jaya Lakshmi said the malware had encrypted data at some police stations, but the impact had been “minimal” as they keep offline record of FIRs and other document.
Among other companies that were affected by the malware in India were two Delhi-based Indian manufacturing firms, two branches of South India, an MNC’s manufacturing unit, the corporate headquarters of a Mumbai-based conglomerate and a Mumbai-based FMCG company, The Economic Times reported.
There were also reports that the computer virus had brought production to a stop at a Nissan-Renault Alliance plant on the outskirts of Chennai, Tamil Nadu. “About 100 systems were attacked, but as of now there are no more threats,” National Cyber Security Adviser in the Prime Minister’s Office Gulshan Rai told TOI.
The international cyber attack was orchestrated using a malware called Wanna Decryptor or WannaCry. With this extortionist “ransomware”, hackers blocked access to files by encrypting the data, which can be decrypted only once they are paid a ransom in bitcoins.
The breach was first reported at Britain’s National Health Service. Spain’s communications giant Telefonica, utility provider Gas Natural and power firm Iberdrola were hit, as well as the Russian Interior Ministry and FedEx operations in the United States. Reports poured in from Portugal, Ukraine and Taiwan, too.
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