Auto industry on high alert after WannaCry ransomware breaches Renault's firewalls

The Indian arm of Renault has reportedly issued an advisory to employees, while auto majors like Maruti Suzuki and Honda Cars India have taken preventive measures.

In what could be the first known case in the auto industry, French carmaker Renault has reported being hit by malicious programme WannaCrypt that has attacked computers in over 100 countries across the globe. The cyber attack has prompted Renault to halt production at its sites in France and it is taking precautionary measures to prevent the malware from spreading further.

"We have been affected," a spokeswoman of Renault told AFP, adding that they are assessing the situation to find a solution. "Work is going on since last night. We are doing what is needed to counter this attack," she noted.

Renault joins a widening list of major companies to admit being attacked by ransomware, which prevents users from accessing data by locking them out and asks for a ransom of $300 to be paid in Bitcoins.

Fearing the attack, the Indian arm of the French carmaker has reportedly issued an advisory to its employees. While there have been no reports of a production halt in the country, a report of ET Auto confirms that auto majors like Maruti Suzuki and Honda Cars India have taken preventive measures and asked employees not to open any unsolicited mails from undefined sources.