Jammu, Dec 1: Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri and Poonch districts have ordered the suspension of virtual private network (VPN) services for two months, citing potential misuse of the technology by anti-social elements for unlawful activities.

Poonch became the second border district in the Jammu division on Sunday to see VPN services suspended, following Rajouri where a similar order was issued in the past two days.

Poonch District Magistrate Ashok Kumar Sharma ordered the suspension of VPNs under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) with immediate effect.

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“The SSP informed that there has been an unprecedented high usage of VPNs in the past few days at different locations of the district by suspicious internet users,” the DM said in the order.

The order noted that VPN traffic is encrypted, creates a point-to-point tunnel, masks IP addresses and can sidestep website blocks and firewalls, thereby making sensitive data vulnerable to cyber attacks. “Adversaries can use VPN services to create an atmosphere of fear in view of the prevailing situation,” the DM said.

The directive will apply to all individuals, institutions, cyber cafes and internet service providers operating in the district, and anyone found violating it shall be punishable under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the order added. The DM has directed the SSP to ensure implementation of the order in letter and spirit.

In Rajouri, District Magistrate Abhishek Sharma on Friday issued an immediate two-month suspension of all VPN services in the border district, citing public safety concerns and the potential misuse of such platforms for unlawful activities. The Rajouri directive was issued under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita following a communication from the police.

Rajouri SSP Gaurav Sikarwar, in his communication to the civil administration, flagged unprecedented and suspicious use of VPN services across various areas of the district. The DM’s order in Rajouri reiterated that VPNs, by masking IP addresses, bypassing website blocks and firewalls, and transmitting encrypted data, were being used by a significant number of suspicious internet users.

“Such activities have the potential to be exploited for anti-national purposes including spreading inflammatory content, coordinating activities prejudicial to public order, and posing cyber security threats,” the Rajouri district magistrate said, underlining that the preventive step has been taken in the interest of maintaining law and order and safeguarding sensitive information.

(IANS)