Sources informed that in the last few months, the Jammu and Kashmir government has witnessed numerous cyber-attacks. Many times, either social media handles were hacked or fake profiles of top-ranking dignitaries were created. Recently, someone created a fake account of Senior Superintendent of Police Shailendra Mishra. This fake account was created soon after the Indian Army honoured Mishra for his meritorious and extraordinary services as the police chief of Kathua district.
Shailendra Mishra has already made public that someone is using an account with a fake ID in his name. Earlier when Manoj Sinha was appointed as the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, a fake Twitter handle soon emerged and had started tweeting pretending him. The social media handle of the then Governor SP Malik was also closed for quite sometime after “complaints of cyber-attacks.”
A cyber expert suspected that “external forces” could also be behind these continuous cyber-attacks. A senior IT expert said that it is possible that an enemy nation could be using the cyber army to target India and the nation’s national interests in Jammu and Kashmir in particular.
Sources said that this issue of consistent cyber-attacks on the government establishment was discussed at the highest quarters in the J&K administration.
Sources informed that the government is planning to increase cybersecurity in Jammu and Kashmir and more cyber experts could be employed to prevent any such attempt in future. A senior official said that when almost every noted employee from Raj Bhawan to police department is facing cyber-attacks, this matter couldn’t be taken lightly and thus it was discussed at the highest level.