J&K IT infrastructure under threat, Govt launches cybersecurity overhaul
Mudasir Ahmad
Srinagar, July 30 (KINS): In the aftermath of Operation Sindoor—India’s military response to the Pahalgam terror attack—the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is facing an unprecedented surge in cyberattacks, prompting a large-scale cybersecurity overhaul to safeguard critical digital infrastructure.
Following the May 6 attack that killed 25 tourists and a local pony handler, several government websites and online services went offline, disrupting public service delivery across the UT.
Union Minister for Power Manohar Lal Khattar revealed at a recent press conference in Srinagar that over two lakh cyberattack attempts targeting the power sector alone had been foiled.
A senior official from the IT Department said a comprehensive cyber audit is underway. “Every website or application must pass a strict security audit before going live again,” the official told news agency KINS.
He said that of the 239 departmental websites, around 160 are live at present.
Chief Secretary Atul Dilloo, who recently reviewed the cybersecurity framework in a high-level meeting, emphasized the urgency of completing the audits. He noted that prolonged downtimes are affecting governance and public convenience.
He ordered the immediate decommissioning of all redundant or obsolete websites and called for capacity building of departmental Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and Information Security Officers (ISOs).
The Chief Secretary also directed that all official devices be equipped with essential security software and reiterated the ban on private email use for government work due to the associated security risks. (KINS)
