TN Public Dept. attacked by ransomware, sensitive documents encrypted

The suspects have demanded the payment of a ransom in cryptocurrency; experts say old operating systems and lack of security software could have led to the attack

A ransomware attack is said to have encrypted certain sensitive documents of the Tamil Nadu Public Department since Friday morning. Some of the files encrypted relate to VIP visits, their programmes and related arrangements made by State Protocol officials, official sources said.

While the suspect has demanded payment of 1,950 USD in cryptocurrency as ransom for handing over the decryption code, cyber security experts from the Centre for Development of Advance Computing (C-DAC) and Computer Emergency Response Team are trying to retrieve the encrypted documents, sources in the State Secretariat here told The Hindu on Saturday.