Hackers encrypt business files and demand bitcoins in ransom from Delhi traders

New Delhi: Hackers attacked traders in Old Delhi by encrypting their files on their computers and demanded ransom in Bitcoins to release their files which are important to their businesses.

According to the news reported in Hindustan Times, the Crime branch of Delhi Police filed three FIR”s, but the traders say that there could be much more cases of ransom demanding in bitcoins as most of them are not reported to the authorities.

The police statement says that these traders were given the links by the hackers to buy bitcoins and the traders were also threatened that they may lose their data permanently if they did not comply with the hackers. The traders were given the option of decrypting five files for free, and for the rest of the data, the hackers sought ransom in bitcoins.

Mohan Goyal, one of the victims, said that “Some traders paid in Bitcoins and got their data back. Some deposited the money from abroad. When my data was hacked, I spoke to fellow traders and learnt that there were other such cases. I wrote to the hackers and they agreed to decrypt the files for $1,750 (around Rs 1.11 lakh).”

The director of cyber-security firm Voyager Infosec, Jiten Jain said that “We suspect there are syndicates in Nigeria or Pakistan. They identify vulnerable computer systems and use ransomware to target their files. Getting money in Bitcoin works for them because it is difficult to trace the money.”

Mohan Goyal is also the Joint secretary of the Delhi Steel Tools and Hardware Traders Association.

A police officer said that through the IP Address, one case was traced to the system in Germany.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (crime) Bhishma Singh confirmed the hackings and hard disks were sent for forensic examination.