EC's server is closed due to dread of cyber attack

The Election Commission (EC) has shut down its own servers due to fear of cyber attacks. In consequences the National Identity Card database and all related websites of  national identity card services have also been closed. Today, Tuesday (August 15), the EC general officials could not access the server and database. Only members of the Technical Committee have the access for the necessary monitoring reported by the EC sources.

Meanwhile several EC field level officials said that they tried to access the EC server to facilitate the process of draft list of the polling station. But they could not enter. Later, they came to know about the cyber attack on August 15, which was announced by the hackers, has been closed in order to be safe from that attack.

Several senior officials said that the Directorate General has given instructions to shut down the server of the information repository after the end of office hours on Monday. It has been closed in the light of that instruction. At the same time, the website to get national identity card service online has also been downed. No one can enter there.

According to EC sources, the Election Commission (EC) was fearing that the database of national identity cards from the computers or laptops of the Election Commission officials was affected. In that fear, the Election Commission has formed a Computer Incident Response Team (CERT) with its own officials. Security Operations Center (SOC) and Network Operations Center (NOC) have been activated. The Election Commission has also taken several steps.