Malware detected on CAT website

Two days after the online registration for the test began, its official website was listed as a page that could harm the user's system by the Google Chrome search engine on Wednesday. Besides Chrome, the page was also blocked by many other browsers.   

Several candidates who tried to access the website, found a warning message stating that visiting the site may harm the computer. When Deccan Herald contacted Prometric, the agency assigned with the responsibility to conduct the test, it confirmed the presence of a malware on the official website.

The agency’s Managing Director, India, Soumitra Roy said some browsers were publishing warning messages to users, when they tried to access the website. “We noticed the problem as early as 2.30 am on August 31(Tuesday). We have been investigating it.  A malware was discovered and removed overnight. However, it will take several hours for the warnings to disappear from Google Chrome," he said.

Last year too, Prometric had been assigned the responsibility to conduct the test. The computer-based version of the entrance test introduced last year was marred by various technical glitches.

The new CAT website was launched recently to provide information about the test to candidates, registration as well as for updates on the test. CAT score is used for admission to the top management schools of the country including the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). According to Google, of the three pages, which were tested on the  CAT website over past 90 days, two pages resulted in malicious software being downloaded and installed without user consent.

Even though the warning message appeared on the official website from Tuesday night till Wednesday late night, the testing agency claimed that registration process was not affected for even a minute. The site provides information about the entrance test to candidates and does not store any candidate information, says Prometric.

"If access to www.catiim.in is not available, the alternative site https://iim.prometric.com/ is the Prometric web site for accepting candidate applications and appointments.

Candidate information is protected with enterprise-class security technology, is confirmed to be safe from harm, is completely segregated from the www.catiim.in web site, and has undergone rigorous security and vulnerability testing.

At no time did this issue impede the ability of candidates to register for the CAT, nor has any candidate application or appointment data been compromised," states the official press release of Prometric.

However, the warning message raises questions about the preparedness for conducting the test this time. The IIMs will conduct the test during a 20-day testing window between October 27 and November 24.