TS power utilities websites hit by ransomware restored

HYDERABAD: A majority of the services of ransomware-affected Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (TSSPDCL) were restored by Friday. However, bill payment through the TSSPDCL website via Internet banking was still not functional, but services to pay bills through PayTM on the website and payment through TSSPDCL App have been restored.
On April 29, IT wing staff of TSSPDCL noticed that their website was attacked by ransomware. The hacker who launched Robinhood ransomware attack on TSSPDCL website had demanded six bitcoins as ransom. The website was encrypted by the hacker through Robinhood ransomware and access to the site was blocked. Based on a complaint by TSSPDCL officials, the cybercrime sleuths registered a hacking case under Section 66 of the IT Act.
TSSPDCL’s IT wing team and TCS that maintain the website immediately swung into action and isolated the infected server. “The server that was injected with ransomware was disconnected from all the systems to prevent the spread of malware.