There is a dire need to keep digital information safe as most of our crucial data is digitized, said Co-anchor of Data Security Council of India addressing Corporation officials as part of Information Security Week.

Outlining the importance of securing data in government offices he said that everyone depends on electronic gadgets like mobile phones and computers for data storage and this can be easily accessed by any third party if it is not secured properly.

He added that the officials should formulate and adhere to a security policy to keep data safe from third parties.

Ravichandran also stated that the usage of external drives such as pen drives and hard disks should be stopped and all USB ports should be secure as it bares data and makes it easily accessible .

“A unique username and password should be given to each user and this should be changed once in every 45 days,” he added. He further advised that office systems should not be used for personal purposes and the users should maintain separate devices for their personal use.

“Even the exchange of mobile phone should not be encouraged inside areas where critical data is stored as the data becomes vulnerable to access.” Stating that any data perceived as deleted is really not so, he said that it can be retrieved using data recovery software.

“The usage of licensed software should be encouraged. If it is not possible, the government should come forward and create indigenous software, operating systems and hardware for official use in government departments to keep data secure,” Ravichandran opined.

The awareness campaign was conducted in the presence of Corporation Commissioner Dr K.Vijayakarthikeyan. The Commissioner also emphasised on the need to keep data and information secure as the city is in the process of becoming a smart city.