IN A massive security breach, a malware has attacked approximately 100 computers of the National Informatics Centre (NIC), the Government’s nodal agency which is responsible for securing critical cyber-infrastructure in the country and comes under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).

 

Delhi Police’s Special Cell begun an investigation into the matter. It has also registered a case under the Information Technology (IT) Act in this connection. The initial investigation has revealed that an email from a firm in Bengaluru is suspected to have created the malware. An employee at MeitY said in his police complaint that he was unable to access his email and that there was something suspicious.

 

When it was found that not just his computer, but several others, too, were compromised, an alarm was raised. During the preliminary investigation, it was found that several of these systems had received an email, suspected to be a malware attack. When the users clicked on the email, their systems were affected. The origins of the bug have been traced to an IT company in Bengaluru.

 

According to sources, the computers at NIC’s cyber hub contain crucial information and data on India’s security, citizens and important Government functionaries, including the Prime Minister, National Security Advisor, the Home Minister, among others.

The NIC helps in the implementation of national and state-level e-governance projects, provides consultancy to government departments and is responsible for research and development, and capacity building.

 

DELHI Police on Friday clarified that the malware attack that had reportedly affected hundreds of computers at the NIC, MEITY, now appears to had set on a particular computer and only that computer was affected. “It appears that malware had set in on a particular computer and only that computer was affected. No loss of NIC data was recorded. Delhi Police probed and identified the source. The reports being carried in certain sections of the media about widespread cyber intrusion involving high offices are unsubstantiated and do not reflect the current stage of the investigation,” police said in a statement on the malware attack on NIC and MEITY.

 

A Government employee had recently reported that he was having difficulty accessing his official email account by NIC which was lying unused for some weeks. It was found by NIC’s robust cybersecurity systems that there was an attempted breach by unidentified cyber actors,” it added. As a matter of abundant precaution, a formal investigation into the matter has been launched by registering a case at Special Cell, police said. “Police proceeding further in the probe,” it said.