14 DAY TRIAL // The computer systems housed in Visakhapatnam, the headquarters of India’s Eastern Naval Command, have been penetrated by hackers who have been traced back to China.
According to Indian Express, a piece of malware planted in devices from Visakhapatnam collected sensitive information and sent it to an IP address located in China.
An investigation is currently ongoing, but initial analysis has revealed that the virus might have spread from one machine to the other via USB sticks, similar to the infamous Stuxnet and Flame Trojans.
In the meantime, the Indian government might change its cyber security policies to “active.” If until now the country has focused mostly on its defensive capabilities, after this incident, an offensive unit will be seriously taken into consideration, India Today reports.
The facility where India’s first nuclear submarines are built hasn’t been affected by the cyberattack.
On the other hand, the breach, identified 5 months ago, is believed to be a result of the negligence of officers who have failed to follow procedures.