RANSOMWARE - DEFENCE & SECURITY
News: Why
ransomware attacks on Indian IT firms are a cause for concern?
What's in the news?
● The
recent ransomware incident at HCL Technologies, though contained in a
restricted cloud environment without apparent widespread impact, negatively
influenced its stock market perception.
● This
event reflects the escalating threat of ransomware attacks on Indian
organisations.
Ransomware:
● Ransomware
is advanced software used by hackers to
block the access of users to crucial databases.
● These
cyber criminals demand money in lieu of unblocking data to the respective
users.
● In
the recent cyberattack on the AIIMS database, the hacker demanded ransom
in cryptocurrencies.
Examples of recent ransomware attacks:
● CryptoLocker
● Petya
● Bad
Rabbit
● TeslaCrypt
● Locky
● Jigsaw
Ransomware Attack Implications:
● According
to Interpol’s first-ever Global Crime Trend report, ransomware was the second highest-ranking threat after money
laundering, at 66%. It is also expected to increase the most (72%).
● About
70 percent of organisations in India have been hit by a ransomware attack in
the last three years while 81 per cent of organisations feel that they could be
the target of ransomware attacks.
● The
Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN) in its India Ransomware
Report 2022 stated that there is a 51-percent
increase in the number of ransomware attacks across multiple sectors including
critical infrastructure.
Agencies to deal with the Cyber Threat in India:
● The Indian Computer Emergency Response
Team (CERT-In) established in 2004 is the national nodal agency that
collects, analyses and circulates inputs on cyber-attacks.
● The
National Critical Information
Infrastructure Protection Centre has been set up for the protection of
national critical information infrastructure.
● The Cyber Swachhta Kendra (Bot-Net Cleaning and
Malware Analysis Centre) has been launched for the detection of
malicious software programmes and to provide free tools to remove them.
● The National Cyber Coordination
Centre works on creating awareness about existing and potential
threats.