Wipro receives second threat email demanding Rs 500-crore ransom, security heightened
The sender had first sent an email on May 5 demanding payment in virtual currency of bitcoins.
Information Technology major Wipro heightened security in all of its office locations after it received another threat email on Wednesday, reported PTI. The company had received the first threat email on May 5 demanding Rs 500 crore in ransom in virtual currency of bitcoins.
“There is no impact on the company’s operations,” Wipro said in a statement confirming the news. The sender once again has threatened to spread toxic protein drug, Ricin, in its office campus, if Wipro failed to make the payment within 72 hours. The mail was sent from the same email address, ramesh2@protonmail.com, PTI reported.
A complaint with the Cyber Crime Police was filed after Wipro had received the first threat. Investigators had traced the email id to Switzerland, however, they feel the IP address may have been manipulated to mislead them, reported The New Indian Express. After the second threat mail, police have written to the Union Home Ministry seeking information from Switzerland, the report added.
Earlier, the sender of the email had claimed to have one kg of high-quality Ricin. A few grams of high-quality Ricin powder, a natural toxic protein, is capable of killing an adult within a few hours. It is produced in the seeds of castor oil plant.