The Jammu and Kashmir government has banned the use of pen drives and unsecured digital platforms across all administrative departments to strengthen its cybersecurity framework.
According to a government order issued by Commissioner Secretary M Raju (General Administration Department), the directive applies to the civil secretariat and deputy commissioners’ offices in all districts. The order also prohibits the use of public messaging platforms like WhatsApp and unverified online tools such as iLovePDF for sharing or storing official or confidential data.
The move aims to safeguard sensitive information, prevent malware attacks, and reduce the risk of unauthorized access. In rare cases, departments may request controlled approval for up to 2–3 pen drives, which must be registered and configured by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) before use.
As a secure alternative, officials are encouraged to switch to GovDrive, a government-managed cloud platform that provides every employee with 50 GB of protected storage, accessible across multiple devices.
The order further states that all technical data—such as system configurations, ICT architecture, and vulnerability assessments—must be treated as confidential and handled only through approved secure channels, in line with directives from the Ministry of Home Affairs, CERT-In, and departmental security policies.
Non-compliance with these instructions will invite strict disciplinary action under official conduct and IT usage rules. The new cybersecurity guidelines take effect immediately, with all departments directed to prioritize their implementation to ensure safe and secure e-governance.
