Srinagar, Aug 25
In order to ensure security of sensitive government information, the Jammu and Kashmir government, on Monday, imposed a ban on use of pen drives in official devices in the Union Territory.
An order issued by the general administration department (GAD) said, "To enhance the cyber security posture of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, protect sensitive government information, and minimise the risks of data breaches, malware infections, and unauthorised access, it has been decided to prohibit the use of pen drives on official devices across all Administrative Government Departments in Civil Secretariat in Jammu and Srinagar and Deputy Commissioner Offices in all districts."
"In exceptional cases where operational needs justify their use, controlled whitelisting may be permitted for up to two to three pen drives per department, upon formal request routed through the respective Administrative head to the State Informatics Officer (SIO), National Informatics Centre (NIC)," the GAD order added.
"After approval Pen Drive must be physically submitted to the respective NIC Cell for reconfiguration, authorisation, and ownership registration prior to use."