TN govt systems under cyber attack, probe on

TN govt systems under cyber attack, probe on

The Tamil Nadu government’s Public Department is said to have come under a ransomware attack, wherein a malware was used to encrypt computer files.

Published: 19th September 2021 04:35 AM 

By C Shivakumar And T Muruganandham

Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government’s Public Department is said to have come under a ransomware attack, wherein a malware was used to encrypt computer files. It is learnt the suspect reportedly demanded a payment of $1,950 in cryptocurrency as ransom for handing over the decryption code.

The department functions directly under the Chief Secretary and deals with important matters concerning the general administration of the State. It also handles protocol arrangements relating to visits of VVIPs, VIPs, and other dignitaries, and matters of common interest between the Central and State governments, besides handling law and order issues.

While officials maintained that none of the confidential files were lost as they were handled manually, they refused to confirm or divulge the sum demanded by the hacker, and said it was immaterial. A top official from the Information Technology department confirmed the attack, and said, “We are at it and trying to get back the access.” Cyber security experts from the Centre for Development of Advance Computing (C-DAC) and Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) are trying to retrieve the documents.

Meanwhile, the public department has lodged a complaint with the cyber cell. “Something happened to the computers in the Special-B section,” an official said, adding that no file has been lost due to the attack. “This department maintains confidential files only in papers. For government records, normally we will be taking a backup,” he added.

Explaining how confidential files are maintained, the official said, “e-Governance or e-Office will not apply to the confidential section. Even approvals are given manually. Computers are used to key-in and take prints, and to save them in files,” he said.

‘We fear this is just the beginning’

Securin, a Chennai-based cyber security company, which investigated the attack, found one vulnerability (environment.tn.gov.in) to have been exploited by one WannaCry ransomware. It also found that over 400 public facing assets linked to the domain are vulnerable. Commenting on the investigation, Ram Movva, co-founder and chairman of cyber security works and CEO of Securin, said, “Our investigation shows very poor cyber hygiene in the State’s Public Department.

Our analysis has revealed vulnerabilities exploited by WannaCry. Over 80 assets have vulnerabilities that have Remote Code Execution and Privilege Execution capabilities.” “We fear this is just the beginning.

We have seen many government entities become targets of ransomware attacks since last year, and have warned CERT-In about the exposures that we have seen in the dark web. Continuous vulnerability scanning and an automated Attack Surface Management programme is the need of the hour for all government entities,” said Movva.

‘Very poor cyber hygiene’

Our probe shows very poor cyber hygiene in the Public Department, says Ram Movva

WannaCry under scanner

Securin, a Chennai-based cyber security company, which investigated the attack, found one vulnerability (environment.tn.gov.in) to have been exploited by one WannaCry ransomware

Andhra education department employees with 5 years of service at one station to be transferred

Andhra education department employees with 5 years of service at one station to be transferred

All transfers will be made by way of counselling through transfer committees constituted by the competent authority i.e., Commissioner of Intermediate Education, Guntur.

Published: 18th September 2021 08:38 AM |

Andhra Pradesh Education Minister Audimulapu Suresh 

By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: The Department of Higher Education issued revised transfer guidelines for the Intermediate Education Department on Friday. According to Minister for Education Audimulapu Suresh, these transfer guidelines are applicable to all the employees working in the department.

All transfers will be made by way of counselling through transfer committees constituted by the competent authority i.e., Commissioner of Intermediate Education, Guntur. The employees who worked in any category in any station and proceeded on long leave (more than 90 days) shall only be posted to the same station except for the cases when they are liable to be transferred otherwise.

Those who completed five years of service at a station as of June 1, 2020, are invariably liable for transfer. Those who completed two years of service at a station as June 1, 2020, are eligible to apply for transfer on a request basis.

The Commissioner of Intermediate Education will draw a schedule for effecting transfers. The appointing authorities i.e., RJDIE’s in respect of junior lecturers, physical directors, librarians and non-teaching staff and the commissioner in respect of Principals and dy. D.V.E.O./A.O. and superintendent working in mufssil shall issue transfer orders based on the recommendations of the Committees constituted for the purpose and outcome of the counselling.

Apps Just A Click Away For Daily Help In Mental Illness

Apps Just A Click Away For Daily Help In Mental Illness

Developed By AIIMS & IIIT-D, Public Launch Likely In January

DurgeshNandan.Jha@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:20.09.2021

A person suffering from mental illness in India might find treatment, but it would be near impossible to find guidance for managing functional problems in daily life. Disha and Saksham, two apps developed by the psychiatry division of AIIMS in collaboration with Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, Delhi, aim to change this. While Disha is focused on helping newly diagnosed patients of schizophrenia and other severe psychotic disorders, Saksham is meant to help those suffering from chronic illness.

The apps have been used successfully by 25 patients and, the researchers reported, they plan to roll them out for the public by January 2022. “The computer engineers involved in the project are currently working to ensure the safety of patient data,” said Dr Mamta Sood, professor of psychiatry at AIIMS, who is also one of the project developers.

These apps will be available in English and Hindi. Once individuals download the app and fill in the details about their illness, it will display information about the nature and course of the disease and the treatment and management of its side-effects. The app will also have the option to update details about compliance on medication and daily self-care tasks, Sood added.

In the movie A Beautiful Mind, actor Russel Crowe plays the role of mathematician John Nash who suffered from schizophrenia and had delusions and hallucinations. Constant engagement with doctors, support from family members and at the place of work help the mathematician recover considerably. While this is ideal, the AIIMS doctor revealed there weren’t enough mental health professionals in India, resulting in a treatment gap.

According to the World Mental Health Atlas Report, 2017, there are only 0.29 psychiatrists per 100,000 population in India. Child psychiatrists are rarer. The availability of psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists and other paid mental health workers that form the backbone of mental healthcare in western countries is also scarce, according to experts.

The patients and their caregivers still trawl the internet for information on disease management. But online sources are often not reliable, caution researchers. Also, caregivers too need encouragement. The mobile apps developed by AIIMS and IIIT Delhi experts will have features to motivate them, one example of this being pop-up messages of encouragement to caregivers and questions seeking to know their well-being.

The apps provide an opportunity to consider the physical health of a patient, an aspect that is often neglected. “The apps have options to feed data on the weight, blood pressure and other key parameters in addition to suggestions such as eating healthy and leading an active life,” disclosed Sood.

Don’t ignore the danger of dizziness

Don’t ignore the danger of dizziness

20.09.2021

When you get out of bed too quickly, do you occasionally feel dizzy and have to sit down again? That light-headedness is called postural hypotension (PHoT) — literally an abnormal drop in blood pressure when you stand.

It is worth noting because it can raise the risk of falls, heart disease, depression, dementia and death.

What to do

When getting out of bed, change position in stages (from lying to sitting to standing), rather than standing in one swift movement. While sitting, count to ten before standing.

The golden rule to treating PHoT is to avoid its triggers. Avoid alcohol, large meals, very warm environments or hot showers. Sleep with the head of the bed raised. Exercise every day to normalise your blood pressure and when you stand, tense the muscles in your legs and buttocks.

— DAILY MIRROR

OMR sheet leak: SI aspirant in cop net

OMR sheet leak: SI aspirant in cop net

Alwar:20.09.2021

The police here on Saturday arrested a 22-yearold man who appeared for Rajasthan police sub-inspector recruitment tests and posted photos and videos of his answersheet from the examination hall.

Jaydev Sharma, a resident of Hanumangarh, was arrested from Sri Ganganagar by Alwar’s Kotwali police. Police said that Sharma’s examination centre was allotted in Alwar’s Nehru Public School located in Scheme 4 at Rajendra Nagar locality. He came to Alwar on Wednesday to appear in the recruitment examination. About five minutes before the examination was to get over, Sharma shot videos and photos of his OMR (optical mark reader) also known as the answer sheet, from his mobile phone.

Sharma is accused of uploading photos of his answer sheet on social media. Sources in Alwar police claimed that SDM had taken cognisance of the matter and directed an FIR which was registered on Friday at Kotwali police station in Alwar.

SHO Rajesh Sharma told TOI that a mobile phone was recovered from the accused from which he had shot photos of the answer sheet.

The centre’s superintendent, deputy superintendent and two invigilators have also been charge-sheeted in the matter. The photograph of the OMR sheet of a candidate giving the SI exam went viral on social media on Thursday.

Sources said that the incident hinted at a major breach of the examination centre protocol because mobile phones are strictly prohibited inside the premises. TNN

Book 16 days before travel for low airfares

Book 16 days before travel for low airfares

Saurabh.Sinha@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:20.09.2021

You will now be able to get domestic air tickets at lower rates for travel beyond 15 days of booking. Fare bands will apply only to domestic tickets booked within 15 days of travel, instead of 30 earlier.

This apart, airlines can now operate more domestic flights — up to 85% of their pre-pandemic capacity instead of the earlier 72.5%. This is the maximum capacity deployment allowed during the pandemic as before the second wave, the allowed highest domestic capacity was 80%.

The winter schedule comes into force next monthend and the industry is hoping that if Covid remains under control, airlines may be allowed to return completely to pre-Covid domestic capacity.

The aviation ministry on Saturday allowed airlines to sell domestic tickets based on market forces of demand and supply — without adhering to fare bands — for travel beyond 15 days of booking. This means, a person booking on October 1 can book a ticket for travel after October 15 to be offered rates by airlines that are lower than the prescribed minimum for that domestic route as also higher than the allowed maximum under the fare bands. Called rolling fare bands, the earlier time period was 30 days which has now been cut by half to 15.

This also means that fare bands put in place in May last year when domestic flights were allowed to resume after a two-month suspension during the lockdown, will continue for some time. Senior airlines industry officials expect fare bands to remain in place till 100% of pre-domestic capacity is allowed.

Low-cost carriers account for almost 80% of domestic air travel. The thumb rule for budget flyers, in pre-Covid times, was book early and get low fares. This way airlines get cash flow and early birds get low fares. The shorter window for which domestic fare bands are applicable will allow airlines to offer lower than the minimum fares for not so early birds.

You can fly to Sindhudurg from Oct 9

Mumbai:

From October 9, direct flights to Sindhudurg will operate after the airport’s inauguration by state authorities. IRB Sindhudurg Airport Pvt Ltd received an aerodrome licence to operate its newly-built greenfield Sindhudurg airport at Chipi. Director-general of civil aviation (DGCA) issued the license on Friday night, an IRB spokesperson said. The project has a cost outlay of approximately Rs 800 crore and an operating and cost recovery (concession) period of over 90 years. TNN

CBSE Has Not Asked Any School To Conduct Only Offline Exams

Schools can’t force students for offline exams, says DEO

CBSE Has Not Asked Any School To Conduct Only Offline Exams

Ramendra.Singh@timesgroup.com

Bhopal:20.09.2021

District education office, Bhopal, made it clear on Saturday after several parents complained that schools are forcing their children to take offline exams that schools can’t force students to take offline exams.

School education department has also made it clear that action will be taken against the schools that force students for offline exams without their consent.

The tussle between parents and management of several schools in Bhopal over offline exams has intensified.

Although CBSE has not asked any school to conduct only offline exams, several schools have forced parents to send their wards to school for the campus exams.

Parents have also complained against such schools to district administration.

DEO Bhopal, Nitin Tripathi said, “Schools can conduct offline exams, but they can’t force any parent for offline exams. If parents are not willing to send their children to campus, then school will have to conduct online exams. The rule is applicable for all boards in the state capital.”

Senior school education department officials said on the condition of anonymity that several parents have contacted them to seek their intervention.

“Parents have been told that they can file a complaint if schools have refused to conduct online exams and force parents for offline exams without their consent,” said an official.

Such is the situation that even the schools that kept their campuses closed till date have also forced the parents to send their children for offline exams.

“This is strange that on one side schools have kept their campuses closed, citing fear of a third wave and on the other side they are insisting that my children write their exams on campus only. I have never seen such kind of approach,” lamented a parent, Avinash Rao.

Parents also alleged that schools have also refused to provide bus facilities.

“My daughter’s school has opened the campus after announcement of the reopening by the state government. However, school authorities have not started school buses, saying it is not easy to handle primary school children in the bus. If they can’t handle them in the bus, then how would they do it in the class,” asked another parent, Anita Mukherjee.