Aatif Qayoom
Srinagar, June 26 (KNS): The official data centre of J&K Power Development Department has been hacked, sending shockwaves in the administration. However PDD has pressed its men and machinery into service and assured the service will be restored with ten or more days.
According to reports reached to KNS, officials of J&K PDD are in a state of despair since the cyber attack took place. Sources told that PDD has lost all its data and have lodged a written complaint to Cyber Police Kashmir who has set the investigation into motion.
Notably this is the first cyber-attack of its kind in Jammu and Kashmir which left administration unaware till all data was filtered from the hands of administration.
Sources said PDD has constituted an internal enquiry to find out the lacunae as the attack has pushed all activities including billing process on suspension mode. It said
An official of the IT wing PDD admitted tha cyber-attack and said hackers encrypted all official files and data.
He said immediately after officials came to know that the servers have been hacked, all the network data lines were closed so that the hackers are stopped from accessing further uncompromised data and the servers of the department and expand their attack to those area as well.
“Not one, but four of our servers have been compromised, which we are unable to access, as the hackers have retained the key with them”, he said.
Official added that PDD’s cyber cell is engaged with a team of Wipro to help us to find the amount of damage caused by the attack.
Aijaz Ahmad, Chief Engineer PDD told KNS that we came to know on time and have started restoration work. “We are working on restoration process but it will take some time, rather ten or more days”, he said.
He further added, PDD has suspended all operations for safety measures and have pressed its men and machinery on job.
When asked how many servers have been hacked, he said “Among 101 servers, there were 24 under seize however we have approached technical experts for restoration of services”. (KNS)