Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC), one of the largest bus service providers in India, has recently fallen victim to a cyber attack that compromised its online ticketing system. The attack, which took place in the early hours of Wednesday, has caused widespread disruptions to the corporation's operations, with online ticketing services coming to a standstill.

The cyberattack was carried out by foreign hackers who breached the security of the UPSRTC website, causing significant damage to the ticketing system. According to a statement released by the corporation, Orion Pro, the company managing the website, has deployed a team of experts to recover data from the website and restore the online ticketing services. However, the restoration process is expected to take up to 10 days, and the company has requested a week's time to set up a new server to ensure the system is fully operational.

Meanwhile, the corporation has initiated manual ticketing to ensure that the operation of buses is not affected. Regional officers have also been asked to monitor bus stands and depots around the clock. The disruption caused by the cyberattack has affected commuters who rely on the UPSRTC website to make reservations.

The incident highlights the increasing threats posed by cybercriminals and emphasises the need for adequate cybersecurity measures to safeguard critical digital infrastructure. The attack on UPSRTC's website serves as a reminder to other organisations about the importance of staying vigilant and taking proactive measures to prevent cyberattacks.

Third-party audits suspect that an international gang of hackers may be behind the attack. The company has lodged a complaint in Mumbai against the hacking of the website. Despite the setback, UPSRTC remains committed to restoring its online ticketing services. According to a statement released by the corporation, the system will be restored in a phased manner across all 20 areas and 115 depots of UPSRTC over the next 7–10 days.

As cyberattacks become more sophisticated and widespread, organisations need to remain proactive in addressing cybersecurity risks. Timely response and effective risk management can help minimise the impact of cyberattacks on operations and prevent future incidents. In the case of UPSRTC, the corporation's swift response to the cyberattack has helped mitigate the disruption caused by the incident, and it is expected to restore its online ticketing services soon.