Admin orders security audit of official websites

Jammu: The government on Wednesday ordered Administrative Departments, HoDs, Deputy Commissioners, Managing Directors of various PSUS, Boards and Corporations etc to ensure security audit of their departmental websites/applications through CERT-In empanelled agencies within a period of one month.
In a circular, the government said that the information Technology Department has time-and-again issued instructions to all the Administrative Departments/Heads of Departments/Deputy Commissioners/Managing Directors of various PSUS/Boards/Corporations etc. to ensure security audit of their websites/applications periodically, at least once a year, in compliance with security policy, guidelines, and procedures, laid down by the CERT-In and Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India.
Notwithstanding the instructions, the government noted that a “large number” of websites hosted on State Data Centre by different departments are still un-audited resulting in increased risk of cyber attacks as also reported by the CERT-In.
“Keeping in view the criticality of the matter, it is enjoined upon all Administrative Departments/Heads of Departments/Deputy Commissioners/Managing Directors of various PSUs/Boards/Corporations to ensure security audit of their departmental websites/applications through CERT-In empanelled agencies within a period of one month, to protect the Government entities against cyber threats,” the circular. In case of failure, the government said that the application from State Data Centre shall be discontinued/shutdown, for which the concerned “Head of the Department shall bear the responsibility.”