India’s Ministry of Defence has decided to enhance its cyber security measures by replacing the Microsoft operating system with a locally developed alternative named the Maya operating system. A trial run of the Maya OS is set to be conducted on a few ministry computers by August 15, with plans to expand its implementation across all connected systems. This open-source platform was developed by a government agency within six months and boasts heightened security features for endpoint detection and protection.
The move comes in response to the escalating threats posed by cyber warfare, including cyber attacks, espionage, and data theft. The Indian Navy has already committed to adopting the Maya OS, while the Army and Air Force are currently assessing its suitability. Acknowledging the increasing vulnerability of cyberspace, the Army has initiated efforts to establish dedicated internet networks within its six operational commands.
To fortify the nation’s vital infrastructure, the Defence Cyber Agency organized cybersecurity drills involving various branches of national security. These drills evaluated the effectiveness of existing firewalls. Such initiatives have gained momentum due to investigations uncovering the involvement of Chinese hackers in cyber attacks. Notably, in November 2022, a cyberattack on servers at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences was traced back to China-based hackers. Amidst growing global concerns over hacker attacks, India alone reported over 500 million such incidents in the first quarter of this year, as per a report.
Post Your Comments