Ransomware cyberattack has hit several hundred computers of various departments of the Gujarat government. Computer systems crashed in some Regional Transport Offices, several district collectorates and police stations.
As a precaution, the government issued an alert to switch off the computers and IT networks till anti-virus systems are installed. According to Gujarat’s IT secretary Dhananjay Dwivedi, 120 computers across the State were affected. A few police stations and the Ahmedabad civil hospital were also affected.
The State IT department and State Crime Record Bureau have issued advisories to all departments and agencies to install a security patch and upgrade the systems before using them.
No private company in the State has so far complained of cyber intrusion in their networks. However, cyber experts said the private firms have avoided reporting complaints and have instead been upgrading their networks.
Meanwhile, the Ahmedabad Crime Branch has developed an anti-virus software which once installed protects all data and systems.
