Ministry officials barred from connecting phones to office PCs

Sources said all departments have been told that smart devices or phones should not be connected to any government computer network even for charging.

Vulnerabilities posed by devices have made the government crack down on officials handling sensitive information using smart phones at work.

Smartphones should not be brought for sensitive meetings or briefings, ministries told the officials. (File photo)

“As smart phones are increasingly becoming prone to data theft and hacking, the government has warned all ministries and departments to be careful with their use,” said a senior government official requesting anonymity.

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Sources said all departments have been told that smart devices or phones should not be connected to any government computer network even for charging. “Malwares and certain applications can make smart phone a spying device therefore one has to be very careful about them,” said the official.

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The issue was discussed at a two-day conference on strengthening the country’s cyber security network that concluded on Thursday. Such devices should not be brought for sensitive meetings or briefings. Even sensitive conversations should not allowed on them.