Telangana Cyber Security Remains Key Priority, Says Jayesh Ranjan
The Special Chief Secretary further said that amidst the situation at the border, people would be undeniably panic-stricken. But the key is to stay calm.
Hyderabad: On December 12, 2023, Russian Intelligence hackers had hacked into Ukraine’s biggest telecommunication network Kyivstar that had reportedly wiped out data from almost all the systems, resulting in 40 per cent of the digital infrastructure being damaged. Nearly 24 million users of the mobile network had stopped receiving sirens and SMS alerts during air raids by the Russian military.
This cyberattack was more than just the ‘biggest and the most severe’. It acted as the most recent example of how wars are no longer just about physical attacks, but about hybrid attacks — both physical and digital.
Amidst rising tensions between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam attack, where terrorists from the Lashkar-e-Tayyaba killed 26 innocent civilians, the threat to cyberspace becomes a major concern.
On Monday, it was reported that Pakistani hackers had hacked into several Indian defence websites, and gained access to sensitive data. The hack came to light via an X (formerly Twitter) handle with the name ‘Pakistan Cyber Force’.
The websites – Indian Military Engineering Service (MES) and Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis (MPIDSA) – were reportedly hacked, while the website of Armoured Vehicle Nigam Limited (AVNL), a defence public sector undertaking, was defaced, the X handle claimed.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle about the safety of websites of the Telangana government, Jayesh Ranjan, special chief secretary, CMO, said that they have been constantly monitoring to ensure no suspicious activities are reported. “We have been monitoring our websites round the clock and have been updating our monitoring tools to ensure safety,” adding the department has been working on preventing attacks ever since the Pahalgam attack happened.
“We have been working with the government of India, the CERT-In, along with institutes across the country to ensure a cybersafe space. The most prone to these cyberattacks are banks, power substations and defense installations. We have been fully focused on them to make sure no bit of personal data is leaked,” he said.
The Special Chief Secretary further said that amidst the situation at the border, people would be undeniably panic-stricken. But the key is to stay calm.
“Scammers posing as officials from the defense line might call you and try to scam you. Given the on-going tension, there will be a higher chance of people giving into this. But we request everyone to stay calm. The biggest weapon to fight a cyberattack is to have people be watchful of any unknown calls or links they are attending to. Hold back and think it through before acting.”
An imminent threat to any country or state incase of a cyberattack is the non-dissemination of information. Jayesh Ranjan said that soon after a person realises that the institution they are a part of has been hit by a cyberattack, they should communicate it, as not doing so often leads the situation to get worse, further making the victim more vulnerable.
“Cybercrime can be tackled once the pattern is known. And to know the pattern, the victim organisation has to communicate with us. In a war-like situation, the priority should not be the reputation of an institution or an individual. So always communicate if the institution has been hit by a cyberattack, especially in such critical situations like these,” Jayesh Ranjan said.
Speaking of spreading of fake information, he said the digital wing of the IT department has been monitoring and working on controlling the spread of any sort of fake information.
