Hackers at AIIMS Delhi Demand a High Ransom to Decrypt Data, According to Intel Sources

CredentTv: According to sources in intelligence services, the cyberattack on the systems of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) was carried out to demand a ransom to unlock sensitive material that the hackers had encrypted.

The ransom demand, apparently for Rs 200 crore, has not been discussed further, according to sources, and hospital administrators have begun using the backup data.

The NIC e-hospital database and application servers have been back online in the interim. According to sources, the NIC team is sanitising other AIIMS-located e-hospital servers that are necessary for the provision of medical services.

The databases and applications on four physical servers that were set up to restore e-hospital services have been scanned and prepared.

Additionally, the AIIMS network sanitization is ongoing. There are organised antivirus programmes for computers and servers. On approximately 1,200 of the 5,000 machines, it is installed. The insider claimed that 20 out of 50 servers had been inspected, and that this work is happening around-the-clock.

“The network will probably need to be completely cleaned out for five more days. After that, e-hospital services can be introduced gradually. Emergency, outpatient, inpatient, laboratory, and other patient care services are still provided in manual mode, the source said.