Hackers Failed to Take Down ICMR Website Despite 6,000 Attempts: Official

Hackers allegedly tried to breach the website of the apex health research body Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) but their attempts have been foiled, according to a government official. The official said that hackers apparently from Hong Kong tried to attack the website of the ICMR around 6,000 times in a span of 24 hours on November 30.

The attacks come close to the heels of the alleged ransomware attack that had paralysed AIIMS online services in Delhi.

“The contents of the ICMR website are safe. The site is hosted at NIC Data Centre, hence the firewall is from NIC which they regularly update. The attack has been prevented successfully,” the official said.

Last month, the server of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi were compromised in a cyberattack. At the time it was said that the data of around 3-4 crore patients could have been compromised due to the breach that was detected on the hospital’s server.

Patient care services in emergency, outpatient, inpatient and laboratory wings were being managed manually as the server remained down, according to a report, which stated that hackers had demanded Rs. 200 crore in cryptocurrency from the institute. At the time, however, the Delhi Police issued a statement, saying “no ransom demand as being quoted by certain sections of the media had been brought to their notice by AIIMS authorities.

The India Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN), Delhi Police and representatives of the Ministry of Home Affairs are investigating the ransomware attack, and a case of extortion and cyber terrorism was registered by the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit of the Delhi Police on November 25.

The AIIMS server has stored data of several VIPs, including former prime ministers, ministers, bureaucrats and judges. “Hackers have allegedly demanded around Rs 200 crore in cryptocurrency,” one of the sources told PTI at the time.