The Kerala Police have sounded an alert against ransomware attacks on computer networks, even as the cyber wing has identified the route used for the online assault on the server of the Thiruvananthapuram District Mercantile Cooperative Society.
A press note issued by the Police Information Centre here on Friday said the attack had been traced to the ransomware titled workup@india.com which typically encrypts the hard drive using AES and RSA algorithms and then demands ransom for the key to unlock the data.
The ransomware infects computers through javascript tools, Exploit kits, spam e-mails, pop- ups, software updates, shareware, porn sites, Torrent sites and bogus websites. The attackers used the Adobe Flash player plug-in update installed on the society’s server, it has been revealed.
The police have issued an advisory to prevent cyberattacks. They have cautioned against the use of pirated operating systems and giving administrator status to users. Administrators should have the sole authority to install applications in the system and the operating system and software should be regularly updated. The use of anti-virus software and monitoring of log files are strongly advised.
The cyber wing has also proposed disabling of USB ports, macros and remote desktop protocol, setting of BIOS passwords, backup of system files, use of firewalls, restricted access to network origins and isolation of core operational systems from other networks. Users are advised not to open suspicious e-mails and attachments.
