The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has urged people to follow basic digital safety practices. These include keeping data backups, using genuine operating systems and setting strong, unique passwords for online accounts.

As part of National Cyber Security Awareness Month, the ministry has shown the importance of keeping data safe from cyberattacks.

“Strong cyber hygiene starts with the basics,” MeitY wrote on social media platform X. “Keep secure backups, protect them with strong credentials, and always use genuine operating systems and trusted software.”

One important step is to keep at least one backup of your data disconnected from your devices. This can help protect your files from ransomware attacks, in which hackers lock your data and demand money to restore access.

Users should keep at least one backup disconnected from their devices. This can help protect their files from ransomware attacks, in which hackers lock data and demand money to restore access.

It is also important to store backup passwords, recovery codes and encryption keys in a safe place, separate from the backup itself.

Users should check their backups regularly to make sure the files are complete and up to date. External hard drives should be kept in a safe place when not in use. Using genuine operating systems and trusted software can also help reduce security risks and keep devices safer.

MeitY has asked industry bodies and sectoral associations to strengthen certification checks and conduct regular cybersecurity audits to prevent similar incidents, such as security incidents involving eMudhra's Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), in the future.

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