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The Jammu and Kashmir government has issued prohibitive orders for its employees on the usage of pen drives on all official devices to enhance data and cyber security.
In an order issued by the General Administration department, dated 25.8.2025, the government said that the order will be implemented across all Administrative Government Departments in the Civil Secretariat, Jammu and Srinagar, and Deputy Commissioner Offices in all districts. "To enhance the cyber security posture of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, protect sensitive government information, and minimize the risks of data breaches, malware infections, and unauthorized access, it has been decided to prohibit the use of Pen drives on official devices across all Administrative Government Departments in Civil Secretariat Jammu and Srinagar, Deputy Commissioner Offices in all districts," the order read. The order further stated that public messaging platforms such as "WhatsApp or unsecured online services like iLovePDF for processing, sharing, or storing official or confidential documents or materials are strictly prohibited." "All sensitive technical information, including ICT architecture diagrams, system configurations, vulnerability assessments, IP addressing schemes, and strategic technology plans, must be classified as confidential and handled exclusively through approved secure channels in accordance with Information Security Best Practices by MHA, CERT-In directives, and departmental data classification policies," it added. The J-K government said that employees not adhering to instructions will have to face disciplinary action. "Failure to adhere to these instructions shall be viewed seriously and may invite disciplinary action under relevant rules governing official conduct, IT usage and administrative responsibility," the order stated. The government here has given exception in the scenarios where "operational needs justify their use, controlled whitelisting may be permitted for up to 2-3 Pen Drives per Department". All formal requests are routed through the respective Administrative head to the State Informatics Officer (SIO), National Informatics Centre, the order stated. (ANI)
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