Operations at Jawaharlal Nehru port in Mumbai hit by ransomware

Operations at one of three terminals at India's largest container port JNPT, on the outskirts of India's commercial hub of Mumbai, have been disrupted by the global ransomware attack, the port said on Wednesday.

The terminal impacted is operated by Danish shipping giant AP Moller-Maersk, which said separately on Tuesday that the cyber attack had caused outages in its computer systems globally.

The attack, similar to the ransomware that infected more than 300,000 computers last month, also affected computers at Russia's biggest oil company, Ukranian banks and multinational firms.

The Indian port has been trying to clear containers manually, but operational capacity has dropped to a third at the terminal, Anil Diggikar, chairman of Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT), told Reuters.

“This is fallout of global cyber attack. We are hopeful that operations will normalise in a day,” he said.

Containers are piling up outside the port due to delay in loading and unloading at Gateway Terminals India, he said.

Read More

What is Ransomware?

Ransomware is a form of malicious software that locks up the files on your computer, encrypts them, and demands that you pay to get your files back. Wanna Decryptor, or WannaCry, is a form of ransomware that affects Microsoft’s Windows operating system. When a system is infected, a pop up window appears, prompting you to pay to recover all your files within three days, with a countdown timer on the left of the window. It adds that if you fail to pay within that time, the fee will be doubled, and if you don’t pay within seven days, you will lose the files forever. Payment is accepted only with Bitcoin.

How does it spread?

According to the US Computer Emergency Readiness Team (USCRT), under the Department of Homeland Security, ransomware spreads easily when it encounters unpatched or outdated software. Experts say that WannaCry is spread by an internet worm -- software that spreads copies of itself by hacking into other computers on a network, rather than the usual case of prompting unsuspecting users to open attachments. It is believe that the cyber attack was carried out with the help of tools stolen from the National Security Agency (NSA) of the United States.

Some forms of malware can lock the computer entirely, or set off a series of pop-ups that are nearly impossible to close, thereby hindering your work.

What can be done to prevent this?

The best way to protect your computer is to create regular backups of your files. The malware only affects files that exist in the computer. If you have created a thorough backup and your machine is infected with ransomware, you can reset your machine to begin on a clean slate, reinstall the software and restore your files from the backup. According to Microsoft’s Malware Protection Centre, other precautions include regularly updating your anti-virus program; enabling pop-up blockers; updating all software periodically; ensure the smart screen (in Internet Explorer) is turned on, which helps identify reported phishing and malware websites; avoid opening attachments that may appear suspicious.

Who has it affected so far?

It was first reported from Sweden, Britain and France, but Russia and Taiwan are said to be the worst hit, according to US media. Over 75,000 systems have been affected. Major companies that have reported attacks are FedEx, Telefonica and National Health Service (UK).

Read More

About Ransomware virus

What is ransomware?
Malicious software that locks a device, such as a computer, tablet or smartphone and then demands a ransom to unlock it

Where did ransomware originate?
 The first documented case appeared in 2005 in the United States, but quickly spread around the world

How does it affect a computer?
 The software is normally contained within an attachment to an email that masquerades as something innocent. Once opened it encrypts the hard drive, making it impossible to access or retrieve anything stored on there – such as photographs, documents or music

How can you protect yourself?

 Anti-virus software can protect your machine, although cybercriminals are constantly working on new ways to override such protection

How much are victims expected to pay?
 The ransom demanded varies. Victims of a 2014 attack in the UK were charged £500. However, there’s no guarantee that paying will get your data back

Read More

IT expert who saved the world from ransomware virus is working with GCHQ to prevent repeat

The young cyber expert who saved the NHS from hackers is working with GCHQ to head off another attack, it has been claimed.

Marcus Hutchins has been credited with stopping the WannaCry ransomware attack from spreading across the globe by accidentally triggering a "kill switch".

The self-taught 22-year-old took just a few hours to stop the breach, which had already spread to more than 200,000 victims - including the NHS - across 150 countries.

He is now working with the government's National Cyber Security Centre to prevent a new strain of the malicious software, it was reported.

He is believed to have stopped the attack from a small bedroom in his parents' house. Last night, pictures emerged of his self-made IT hub, crammed with takeaway pizza boxes, video games and computer servers.

Others showed the security expert, who did not go to university, in Las Vegas as part of a trip to DEFCON, the world's largest annual convention for internet hackers.


Kurtis Baron, the founder of Fidus Information Security who travelled with Mr Hutchins to Las Vegas last year, said his friend was just doing his job when he stopped the attack.

Speaking to The Telegraph, he said he had known him a "reasonably long time". "He is a really nice friend and also a business colleague. He was just doing his job," he said. "If we could make him work for us then we would employ him in a heartbeat, but he won't move."
He added: "It is not a job to him, more a passion that he happens to get paid for."



Andrew Mabbitt, the co-founder of Fidus, described Mr Hutchins as "one of the most intelligent and talented people I know".

"He gets paid to do his hobby which is most people's dream in life," he added.


Mr Hutchins - who is known only as Malware Tech - is believed to live in a popular seaside resort on the north Devon coast. His mother and father work in the medical industry and he also has a younger brother.

His social media accounts are peppered with tweets about his love of surfing and views of the waves along the coast. In one tweet, he wrote: "I could move to a city but where in a city would I get this view?"

Around a year ago, he joined a "private intel threat firm" based in Los Angeles. He later made a number of references to travelling to America, including admitting being "super worried" he was "too nerdy" for Las Vegas.

Read More