Ransomware Assaults Target Hotel, Hospital in Navi Mumbai

One year following a ransomware assault against JNPT (Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust), two new ones are reported having occurred inside Navi Mumbai. Those entities under target include one Kharghar situated hotel and the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital, police said. Although still under investigation, police clarified the issue as possibly an amateur's attempt.

It was Sunday July 15 when Navi Mumbai based MGM hospital was targeted with certain ransom software, police said. According to one senior official belonging to Navi Mumbai police, the hospital employees could not access their data because of infection from the malware while it proliferated prior to its containment. The cyber-criminals thereafter contacted the hospital staff demanding money to be paid in Bitcoins. Police had put up one case while they were attempting at recognising the criminals with the aid of the file extensions and Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, the official elaborated.

When the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital was attacked, hospital administrators discovered that their systems were locked, whilst the screens showed one encrypted message from unknown persons demanding Bitcoins for restoring them, stated Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Tushar Doshi. Ndtv.com posted this, July 19, 2018.

According to DCP Doshi, Navi Mumbai Police's Cyber Cell has started an investigation into the case. He said they were making efforts towards determining the IP address that's the origin of the e-mail making the ransom demand. The malware assault had affected the medicine prescription computer and computerized billings; nevertheless, the hospital had its entire data recorded in writing as well, Mr. Doshi stated.

Vicky Shah, advocate and specialist within cyber law says staying safe from ransomware assaults is possible only by preventing them. He explains ransomware as software which encrypts data-files on a particular PC network, locking them so end-users can't access them. Certain kinds of ransomware strains even make replicas of the details thus giving the entire thing a sense of confidentiality. Retention of data-files becomes possible by unlocking the software using one key which the ransomware developer solely possesses, states Mr. Shah.

Following the incident, one case has been lodged at Vashi Police Station under the IT Act, section 43.

» SPAMfighter News - 7/30/2018