Cyber attackers strike flood monitoring system in Goa, India

Cyber attackers have targeted a flood monitoring system with ransomware in Goa, India, demanding Bitcoin in return for decrypting the data.

The Water Resource Department (WRD) runs a flood monitoring system at 15 locations on Goa’s major rivers, designed to monitor water levels as part of its disaster management planning.

However, WRD executive engineer Sunil Karmarkar said the system was struck by a ransomware attack on June 21, taking place between 12am and 2am.

As a result, integrity of the system’s data was altered, preventing the ability to back up the previous data. According to Karmarkar, the server runs on a 24-7 internet line and an absence of antivirus protection and use of outdated firewalls helped facilitate the ransomware attack.

“The server has been under cyberattack of ransomware,” Karmarkar said in a report to authorities. “Under the attack, all the files are encrypted with eking extension and cannot be accessed.

“In a popup and stored file, the attackers are demanding Bitcoin cryptocurrency for the decryption of the data.”

In the aftermath, the flood monitoring system’s data could not be accessed or downloaded from the server, including data related to battery voltages of different stations.

Additionally, data packets regarding 12 of the flood system’s stations could not be transferred to the WIMS server, text messages and emails were unable to be obtained, and old data could not be backed up, Karmarkar added.

Police said they have asked representatives of Hyderabad-based software developer ASTRA Microwave Products being asked to help track down the culprits and better protect the flood monitoring system.

“This work has been awarded to ASTRA Microwave Products Ltd, Hyderabad,” Karmarkar revealed. “The company has been directed to block further damage and upgrade the system and recover the data at their own risk and cost.”

The attack is the latest example of cyber criminals that will attack any organisation and system with ransomware, regardless of its effect on people and society. While some groups such as Lockbit will veer away from targeting organizations such as hospitals and utilities, others – such as the notorious Conti ransomware attackers – are indiscriminate and will not take morals into consideration.

In the wake of the attack, prominent cybersecurity expert Kevin Beaumont took to social media to condemn the cyber criminals for targeting a critical safety system. He said on Twitter: “Whichever ransomware group did this should provide a free decryption key.”