Massive cyber-attack crashes 90 government websites in Uttarakhand, halts services | India News

The cyber-attack significantly impacted the state’s primary data center and secure internet service, UK SWAN. Consequently, over 800 services, including the CM Helpline and Apunni Sarkar, were disrupted. The CM Helpline, intended for public complaints, was down for the entire day.

Dehradun: On Thursday morning, a sudden cyber-attack caused around 90 government websites in Uttarakhand to crash, bringing IT operations to a halt and leaving most government offices, including the secretariat, non-functional.

This attack led to the complete shutdown of crucial state services and websites, such as the CM Helpline, Land Registry, and e-Office, severely impacting administrative work across the state.

Over 800 services, including the CM Helpline and Apunni Sarkar, were disrupted

The cyber-attack had a significant impact, affecting the state’s primary data center and secure internet service, UK SWAN. As a result, over 800 services, including the CM Helpline and Apunni Sarkar, were disrupted. The CM Helpline, designed for public complaints, was down for the entire day. Overall, more than 90 government websites were rendered inaccessible, disrupting both government and public services throughout the state.

Ruckus in IT department

Upon receiving news of this cyber-attack, Secretary IT Nitesh Jha and ITDA Director Nitika Khandelwal promptly arrived at the Information Technology Development Agency (ITDA) with their team. Despite working tirelessly throughout the day to eliminate the virus and restore services, their efforts were initially unsuccessful. To safeguard data and other critical information, Secretary IT ordered the shutdown of all services. By late evening, the team managed to temporarily restart UK SWAN, but all websites connected to the State Data Center remained offline.

Investigation into the causes of the attack

The causes of the cyber-attack are under serious investigation. Secretary IT Nitesh Jha stated that a team of experts is working to restore the affected services. While UK SWAN has been temporarily reactivated, efforts are ongoing to fully restore other services. The investigation aims to uncover the reasons behind the attack to prevent future incidents.

Need for Enhanced Security Measures

This cyber-attack has exposed vulnerabilities in Uttarakhand’s IT infrastructure, underscoring the urgent need to bolster the state’s cyber security. Experts warn that without immediate enhancements to the cyber security of state websites and government services, the state could face even more severe attacks in the future.

Next Article