Madhya Pradesh Power Management Company Limited has approached police after a ransomware attack on May 22 crippled its internal information technology system used for communication among different functionaries of the state-run entity, an official said.
The attack has hit MPPMC, which oversees the management of electricity in the state through sale and purchase of power as per demand, at a time when summer brings about peak consumption, sources said.
MPPMC public relations officer Pankaj Swamy told PTI an alternative method had been put in place to ensure urgent work is not affected.
When contacted, MPPMC Chief General Manager (IT) Reeta Kshetrapal said those behind the ransomware attack had not sought money as yet but had provided email IDs to contact them.
MPPMC is scanning the servers as per the guidelines of the government and trying to restore them with precaution, Kshetrapal added.
A press note issued on Saturday by MPPMC quoted Kshetrapal as saying a “ransomware attack was detected in the company’s IABS internal IT system on May 22”.
“The restoration work of the IABS internal IT system is being carried out by the engineers of L&T InfoTech under the guidelines of the Union government’s nodal agency Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) that deals with cyber threats,” the release further quoted her.
Subsequently, government institutions concerned, including Madhya Pradesh State Electronics Development Corporation (MPSEDC) and CERT-In have been informed about the cyber-attack, the release added.
The release said the internal IT system, also known as IABS system, has been set with help from L&T InfoTech and is used for internal communication with different functionaries.
“An investigation has begun on the complaint received from MPPMC on Friday about ransomware attack on its IT system,” the state cyber cell’s Jabalpur Superintendent of Police Lokesh Sinha told the agency.
