Bug in mail sent by Bengaluru IT firm deletes sensitive data from 100 govt computers

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Data stored in over 100 computers of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s National Informatics Centre (NIC) were reportedly compromised after a purported malware attack. The NIC secures the cyber infrastructure of the country and supports the delivery of government IT services and some Digital India initiatives.

According to an India Today report, the NIC has registered a complaint and the Delhi Police is investigating the case. Sources within the department have informed that the cyberattack took place in the first week of September. The bug is believed to have come from an email sent by an IT company based in Bengaluru, Karnataka; it was reportedly sent using a proxy server.

In the police complaint filed by NIC, the government organisation stated that a Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology official had received the email that contained the bug. The moment the government official had clicked on the attachment in the email, all the data stored in the system had got deleted.

It was later learned that the malware had affected hundreds of systems of both the IT Ministry and the NIC.

This data breach is of serious concern as the NIC and IT Ministry computers contained important classified data on national security and on top government functionaries such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. Moreover, the malware attack took place at a time when reports suggesting China-based companies had snooped in on some Indian politicians and journalists are making rounds.