Shashi Tharoor raises AIIMS cyber attack in Lok Sabha; demands detailed investigation
By Team Newsable | First Published Dec 12, 2022, 8:30 PM ISTOn November 23, officials detected a breach in AIIMS Delhi's IT servers, shortly after which the hospital's patient management system was paralysed. AIIMS Delhi confirmed that a cyber attack had taken place following which a case of extortion and cyber terrorism was registered by the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations unit of the Delhi police on November 25.
Congress leader and Thiiruvananthapuram Member of Parliament (MP) on Monday (December 12) demanded Centre's response to the recent cyber attacks on All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the national capital and called for a thorough investigation into the matter.
Addressing the lower house, Tharoor said, "The cyber attacks on the IT servers of AIIMS Delhi resulted in data losses which impeded its normal operations, including patient registration, consultation booking and availability of medical records. The origin, intent and extent of the attacks remain unclear, and I trust that the government recognising this as a matter of public importance will take the House into confidence with this and the measures are taken to prevent a recurrence."
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On November 23, officials detected a breach in AIIMS Delhi's IT servers, shortly after which the hospital's patient management system was paralysed. AIIMS Delhi confirmed that a cyber attack had taken place following which a case of extortion and cyber terrorism was registered by the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations unit of the Delhi police on November 25.
Till December 1, 2022, AIIMS servers were inaccessible to patients. A few days later, AIIMS noted that e-hospital data had been restored.
"While the possibility of this being a hostile cross-border attack is a great concern which calls for a thorough investigation and tough response, it also reflects the weak data protection safeguards in our country, especially by government institutions," Tharoor said.
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Rajya Sabha member Ranjeet Ranjan also termed the cyber attack on AIIMS as a security threat to the country and sought an explanation from the central government. The Rajya Sabha member also referred to a report fromMarch 2021 by the cyber-security company Cyfirma which raised caution about cyberattacks against Indian pharma companies.
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