NEW DELHI: Chairperson of the Indian Overseas Congress, Sam Pitroda, said on Saturday that his laptop, smartphone and server have been hacked repeatedly over the past few weeks. The hackers have issued threats to him, demanding payment of tens of thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency.
In an email to news agency ANI, Pitroda said, “I want to bring to your attention a critical matter my laptop, smartphone and server have been repeatedly hacked and severely compromised over the past few weeks.”
The hackers have threatened to damage his reputation if he fails to pay tens of thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency.
“The hackers have issued threats, demanding payment of tens of thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency. They have warned that if unpaid they will launch a smear and misinformation campaign to tarnish my reputation by contacting people in my network,” he elaborated.
In his email, Pitroda further advised not to click any unknown links and warned of malware that could harm devices.
“If you receive any emails or messages that appear to be about me from any unknown email/mobile no, I urge to not to open them, not to click on my links and not to download any attachments (Just Delete it) may contain malware that could compromise your own devices,” he cautioned.
Currently away from Chicago, Pitroda plans to address these security issues upon his return by updating his hardware, software and implementing enhanced security protocols.
“This includes replacing outdated hardware, upgrading software and implementing robust new security measures to safeguard my digital presence. I sincerely apologise for any inconvenience or concern this situation may cause,” he said.