After the previous attack on BSNL, it is now the Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd.’s (MTNL) turn to face the brunt of a Malware attack in Delhi. The attack has severely crippled its broadband services and has affected around 10,000 users, including enterprises. The company has releases a statement saying that things are under control. They have also issued an advisory to all it users to take precautionary measures.
According to a top MTNL official, the malware attack led to a reconfiguration of all modems. The attack which has hit approximately 10,000 users has been traced due to a malfunction in a Taiwanese chipset. The attack on modems is said to have redirected users to pornography and malicious web pages with ads.
Motive Behind the Attack and Its Solution
With the motive behind the attack still not known, the attack has impacted services all through the week. The company was aware of the situation only last Thursday. An official from the company has made it known that the modem needs to be reconfigured in order to manage the problem. MTNL is reaching out to subscribers with the solution and the company is offering replacement modems for those with a severe malware issue.
Steps Towards Rectification; Long-Term Measures
The company is taking steps to stop the spread of the malware at the hardware level. Additionally, subscribers who are calling their helpline are being offered immediate ‘on-phone rectification’. They have shared the modem’s guide on their website with steps to reconfigure it mentioned therein. If you are an MTNL broadband user and are affected by the malware, all you have to do is reset your modem to factory settings. This can be done pressing the ‘Reset’ button on the modem for a few seconds.
These attacks on MTNL, and BSNL previously, have come at a crucial time when India is on the road towards a digital ecosystem and most of the data and services are being put up on the cloud. Along with robust security measures, there is also a need to educate users and to make sure that they are aware of best security practices in order to deflect such attacks in future. It is the partnership of responsibility between organizations and users that will ensure a secure digital future.