Ransomware attack: Cyber experts rush to JNPT site

Mumbai: In damage control mode after Petya ransomware virus hit its terminal operated by AP Moller-Maersk in Denmark, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) has urgently brought in cyber experts from the Centre and the state to avoid further harm. JNPT has also made an alternative arrangement to divert container traffic from its terminal Gateway Terminals India (GTI), which was hit by the virus on Tuesday night. The terminal handles 4,500 containers per day. The state government is helpless as the virus attack has taken place at the main server of the AP Moller-Maersk company in Denmark.

Anil Diggikar, chairman of the JNPT, said the government has made alternative arrangements if needed. “It’s a global virus attack. The AP Moller-Maersk have their headquarters in Denmark and hence we have little to do from here. But we have made alternative arrangements,” Mr Diggikar said.

The GTI terminal server is completely down, but other terminals are functioning normally, he added.

The ministry of shipping said National Cyber Security Coordinator Gulshan Rai was rushed to Mumbai to assist the company. “The situation is being closely monitored and further steps to deal with the traffic situation will be initiated based on an assessment during the course of the next few days. Dr Gulshan Rai, National Cyber Security Coordinator, is proceeding to JNPT to further deal with the situation,” a release said.

Brijesh Singh, Maharashtra state cyber cell chief, said, “The state government’s departments such as customs, excise, etc., are not affected in this attack. The computers used in these departments are safe and functioning. The computers used by various companies and Maersk’s system, which handles the movement of ships, is affected. The state government has also asked for cyber support from Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-in), the national team for cyber security. The additional manpower will be helpful in finding a solution.”

Operations at JNPT’s GTI were impacted on Tuesday night as a fallout of the global ransomware attack, which crippled some central banks and many large corporations in Europe. AP Moller-Maersk, one of the affected entities globally, operates the GTI at JNPT, which has a capacity to handle 1.8 million standard container units. The current attacks come weeks after the Wannacry ransomware attack, which affected many companies. Firms that were hit on Wednesday include Russia’s biggest oil company Rosneft, global advertising giant WPP Group and multiple institutions in Ukraine, including its central bank and an international airport.