A chink in the State’s information technology infrastructure’s armour has been exposed as hackers are challenging IT experts managing State’s cyber space. They have been occasionally flirting with dedicated websites, social media accounts just to prove the vulnerability of the cyber security even as the department of Information Technology claims everything under their command is secure and the chinks in the IT armour is primarily because of a department’s preferences for IT services.
According to a source in the Information and Public Relations Department, the department’s website was “compromised” for a brief period however, it was restored later with the efforts of experts maintaining the department’s portal. The portal is one-stop source for the State Government’s day-to-day business however on Sunday the page was redirected to another page. IT experts managing the website denied any imminent threat because of the unexpected attack.
In the face of mounting challenges, the department maintained that websites under its control are safe and skilled workforce is likely to be inducted to thwart any attempts on cyber space in future. “There is a proposal to seek services of experts trained in cyber security. Anything in this regard will become clear in about a fortnight,” said Director IT, Umesh Prasad Shah.
Notwithstanding the recovery, too many cooks appear to be spoiling the IT broth. The Department asserted that the private vendors providing IT services to various departments have thrown the gate open to professional hackers and there is little the department can do, apart from going ahead with some other vendors. ]
Notably, the Disaster Management department has been a victim of cross-border cyber attack in October that featured the name ‘Bangladesh Gray Hat Hackers’ in the message displayed on the hacked webpage of the department.
“Websites ending with ‘gov.in’ are safe and there is a three layer of security for those portals. We cannot do anything about those websites which have been created by private parties. It has happened that most of them have stopped maintaining the website. They are vulnerable so we can issue guidelines to them on time to time,” maintained the Director IT.
Hackers had taken control of the ‘facebook’ page of Chief Minister Raghubar Das in June, 2015 and the page was spammed with pictures and comments. Internet was also abuzz with hacking of database of Jharkhand police in May 2013.
The department of IT is slowly integrating all government departments with ‘jharkhand.gov.in’ as it maintains that the decision would increase cyber security. As many as 31 departments have so far been integrated with the main website of the State Government.