The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL) has recently confirmed that its system at the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) has fallen victim to a cyberattack. The culprit is a malware named ‘Dtrack,’ a spyware tool recently devised which is currently focusing on Indian institutions. Its main objective is stealing confidential data and disseminating harmful tools, which include key log tracking and internet protocol (IP) traffic monitoring. The group behind this malicious cyber attack, known by the name Lazarus, is believed to have originated from North Korea. This instance bears an eerie similarity to the 2018 Stuxnet virus attack on an Iranian nuclear facility. The event underscores the emerging dangers facing nuclear reactors, which now include not only natural disasters, but cyberattacks as well.
Decoding Cyber Attacks
A cyberattack is an intentional and harmful attempt made by an individual or organization to hack into the information system of another party. Cyberattacks come in various forms, including malware, phishing, and denial of service attacks, among others.
Recent Events Involving Cyber Attacks
In the recent past, numerous high-profile cases of cyberattacks have been reported. WhatsApp filed a lawsuit against Israel’s NSO Group accusing the firm of implementing cyber-attacks on their platform by infecting mobile devices with harmful software. The affected users included journalists, human rights activists, political dissenters, and diplomats. Another large-scale cyber attack occurred in Georgia on October 28, 2019, crippling several websites in the process.
Cyber Attack Analysis Report
U.S.-based global computer security software firm, McAfee, reported October 2019 as a particularly damaging month for cyberattacks, with threats ranging from harmful malware to limiting ransom wares. A type of malware called ‘Ghostcat’ enters a user’s device when they interact with a harmful advertisement on a website. It gathers device information and eventually leads the user to malicious content, primarily targeting mobile devices. Meanwhile, ‘MedusaLocker,’ a type of ransomware, leverages data encryption to infiltrate users’ devices.
A noticeable trend identified in the report is the use of a technique known as steganography, which conceals harmful code inside seemingly normal files. This allows hackers to bypass security software and firewalls unnoticed.
| Malware Name | Type | Method of Infiltration |
|---|---|---|
| Ghostcat | Malware | Malicious advertisement on websites |
| MedusaLocker | Ransomware | Encrypting files on users’ devices |
The Way Forward
To prevent and contain cyberattacks, real-time intelligence is vital. India should prioritize securing its computing environment and Internet of Things (IoT) using up-to-date tools, patches, updates, and the best-known methods available. The country needs to develop competencies in the fields of cybersecurity, data integrity, and data security. Establishing strict cybersecurity standards to safeguard the institutional infrastructure of the country is also essential.