VIJAYAWADA: Exposing the chinks in the state cyber security, official websites of Andhra Pradesh Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (APSPDCL) and Andhra Pradesh Eastern Power Distribution Company Limited (APEPDCL) have been hacked by anonymous hackers on Monday. 

The purported international hackers allegedly demanded Rs 35 crore as ransom and threatened to delete both the website's entire database if their demands are not met. Soon after the incident, officials brought the websites offline and are currently trying to rectify the problem by calling in experts. 

Official sources said that they have a back up with them and that there was no data loss. 

This isn't the first time that Andhra Pradesh was attacked by a ransomware. Back in 2017, around 27 websites of various departments like horticulture, general administration department, departments of commercial taxes etc were all hacked. Similar to this incident, back then the hackers did not deface the pages or stole any information. 

Cops have booked a case under relevant sections of IT Act. Further investigation is still on