Ransomware Locks Indian Flood Monitors During Monsoon Season

The Goa Department of Water Resources fingered a lack of antivirus software and outdated firewalls on an internet-facing server in a police complaint first reported by The Times of India. The state agency also shifted blame to a third-party IT contractor based in Hyderabad, writing that the firm has been told to “block further damage and upgrade the system and recover the data at their own risk and cost.” The ransomware gang demanded an undisclosed amount of Bitcoin cryptocurrency. Information Security Media Group has been unable to get independent confirmation from the water department or a copy of the original complaint from the Goa cybercrime police. Neither organization responded to repeated inquiries even as the incident has been widely reported in Indian media. The Hyderabad vendor did not respond to a request for comment.