NEW DELHI/CHENNAI: A malware was detected in a personal computer at the Kudankulam nuclear power plant (KKNPP) in Tamil Nadu . The Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL), under the department of atomic energy (DAE), on Wednesday said “identification of malware in NPCIL system is correct” but clarified that the malware “did not affect the critical system” of the facility.

NPCIL additional director (CP&CC) A K Neema, in a release, said “the matter (malware) was conveyed by Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-in), when it was noticed by it on September 4. The matter was then immediately investigated by DAE specialists”.

He clarified the probe revealed the infected PC belonged to a user who was connected to the internet for administrative purposes. He said the “malware attack was isolated from the critical internal network and the networks are being continuously monitored”. A day earlier, KKNPP training superintendent and information officer R Ramdoss had denied any cyber attack in the context of reports that the power plant's domain controller-level access was compromised. He said the TN plant and other nuclear power plant control systems were “standalone” and not connected to any cyber networks outside or the internet. “Any cyber attack on the nuclear power plant control system is not possible,” he said in a statement.

A cyber expert Pukhraj Singh has claimed that there was a breach in the KKNPP computer systems and that "mission critical targets were hit". He said he had informed the National Cyber Security Coordinator Lt Gen Rajesh Pant on September 3 of the alleged breach. On attack intensity, Pukhraj told TOI he had pointed out that IT network or the domain controller of the N-plant was compromised, which is “very different” from the facility’s control systems.

The NPCIL said that the PC user was logged in for administrative use. Typically screening for malware is routine in such facilities and is different from a cyber attack. "It appears like the administrative IT network or the domain controller was compromised. It does not mean that the reactor is impacted,” said Pukhraj on Wednesday. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor also raised the issue of a “hostile act”, seeking an explanation from the government.

Kudankulam is one of the leading operational nuclear plants of the country. Its unit-1 and unit-2 are already operational and connected to the grid. Unit-3 and unit-4 are being constructed with the help of Russia and preparatory work for construction of unit-5 and unit-6 is going on. Currently, India has 22 nuclear reactors in operation in seven nuclear plants, having a total installed capacity of 6,780 MW and has another 21 reactors in various stages of construction and development.

