Jammu & Kashmir Government Cracks Down on Data Breaches: USB Drives & WhatsApp Banned, Secure Channels Made Mandatory

New Delhi: Amid data breach concerns, the Jammu and Kashmir Government has banned the use of USB and pen drives across all departments. WhatsApp has also been prohibited for official communications and handling of confidential material. 

The government has directed the use of approved secure channels as per the directives of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and CERT-In. The circular, issued by Commissioner/Secretary to Government M. Raju (IAS), came into immediate effect from 25 August 2025.

Websites Taken Offline After Cyberattacks

The latest crackdown comes as the UT continues to face challenges in restoring its digital services. Out of 239 government websites in Jammu and Kashmir, 99 remain inactive due to the absence of mandatory security audits. On May 21 this year, the administration had directed all departments to deactivate their websites over cybersecurity concerns, particularly those operating through private domains not aligned with Government of India guidelines. The move followed a surge in cyberattacks post Operation Sindoor.

Chief Secretary Reviews Action Plan

Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, who chaired a high-level meeting to review the Cyber Security Action Plan, revealed that 140 websites have since been restored after undergoing audits in line with CERT-In and OWASP standards and have been equipped with web application firewalls. However, the prolonged shutdown of nearly 100 sites continues to hamper public services across the UT.