AIIMS, India’s top hospital and medical institution, which is also counted among the world’s finest, has fallen prey to a cyberattack, allegedly initiated by Chinese hackers. According a report on NDTV, the hack has now been thwarted and data has been restored. However, it is unclear whether the data that was hacked, has been restored or not.
“The server attack was by the Chinese; the probe found that it originated from China,” a top source told NDTV.
“Of the 100 servers — 40 physical and 60 virtual — five physical servers were infiltrated by the hackers. The damage could have been far worse but is now contained. Data in the five servers has been successfully retrieved,” a source further said.
One of the finest in the world and among the few globally to have access to rare experimental treatments, a data breach at AIIMS is a matter of serious concern for the government and public alike. The issue has been raised by several parliamentarians within the current Parliament winter session, with many asking Government of the steps undertaken to contain the damage, as well as thwart any similar future attempts.
First signs of a possible hack across the hospital system appeared on November 23. Post confirmation, a case of extortion and cyber terrorism was registered by the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit of the Delhi Police two days later. There have been claims that a ransom worth ₹200 crore was demanded by hackers, in cryptocurrency, a claim that has been denied by the Police.
While exact figures are yet to come out, critical patient records, ranging in the 30-40 million range, have apparently been impacted.
Multiple agencies, including the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), are investigating the cyberattack that is feared to have compromised the records of nearly 3-4 crore patients, including high-profile political personalities.
