“All Data Lost”: Hackers Attack J-K Power Department Data Center; Website Data Lost

This is the first cyber-attack of its kind in Jammu and Kashmir, which has caught the administration unaware.

The data centre of Jammu and Kashmir Power Department is rendered in-operational, for the last three days, due to a cyber attack by hackers, sending shockwaves in the administration. The website of the department, http://billsahuliyat.jkpdd.net/ and its Android app both have been rendered inoperational. 

This is the first cyber-attack of its kind in Jammu and Kashmir, which has caught the administration unaware.

Authorities are in a state of despair, since the attack took place, as all the departmental data is lost and an FIR has already been lodged with the Cyber Police to trace the hackers.

Meanwhile, even as an internal enquiry has also been set in motion; however all the official work, of JK power the department, including the billing process is on a suspension mode, as the server of the department, which is in Srinagar has been down for last three days after it came under the cyberattack, a local news gathering agency reported.

According to Neel Kamal Singh, Executive Engineer IT wing of Power Department, through a particular kind of cyber-attack, named ‘RansomWare”, all the official files and data has been encrypted by the hackers.

Neel Kamal Singh said that immediately after the officials came to know that the servers have been hacked, all the network data lines were closed so that the hackers are stopped from accessing further uncompromised data and the servers of the department and expand their attack to those areas as well.

“Not one, but four of our servers have been compromised, which we are unable to access, as the hackers have retained the key with them”, he said.

“Our cyber cell of the department has engaged a team of Wipro to help us to find the amount of damage caused by the attack, which is working with us to assess the damage and rectify it”, he added.

Mr. Singh said, “After the initial assessment we have come to the conclusion that before setting the servers on, let us conduct the internal order to assess the amount of the damage.”

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