The Delhi Police has issued a cyber security advisory for government officials and contractual staff handling technology and computer-related work ahead of the three-day BRICS Summit in the capital, warning against phishing links, unauthorised software, external cloud services and remote-access tools.
The guidelines were issued from Delhi Police Headquarters and signed by Sanjay Bhatia, Additional Commissioner of Police, IFSO. They set out precautions for password and data security, system access and the handling of digital information during the high-profile event.
According to the advisory reported by The Indian Express, the widespread use of information and communication technology across government departments, along with the presence of foreign dignitaries, increases the risk of cyber threats during the summit. The document also cautions officials about the spread of misinformation.
Among the system-level safeguards, the guidelines prescribe automatic logout after 20 minutes of inactivity on websites, web pages and applications that require authentication. Screen savers with auto-lock facilities are also to be enabled on client and server machines.
The advisory further states that inactive user accounts should be disabled after 90 days. User accounts are to be locked after three unsuccessful login attempts and remain locked for 30 minutes before another login attempt can be made.
The instructions cover staff working with government technology systems and computer-related operations. They focus on reducing the risk of unauthorised access, compromised credentials and malicious software entering official networks during the summit period.
The police guidelines also warn personnel against clicking on phishing links and using unauthorised software. Officials have been advised to exercise caution around external cloud services and remote-access tools, which can create additional routes into systems or expose government data when used without approval.
The advisory links the need for heightened precautions to the summit’s profile and the concentration of government activity surrounding it. It combines technical controls, such as account lockouts and automatic screen locking, with warnings about unsafe digital behaviour and misinformation.
The BRICS Summit is scheduled as a three-day event in Delhi, beginning Friday. The police advisory does not disclose details in the supplied report about a specific cyberattack or a confirmed breach. Instead, it sets out preventive measures for officials and contractual personnel responsible for technology and computer-related work.
The instructions currently available include the prescribed login controls, account-management measures, software and cloud-use warnings, and precautions against phishing and misinformation. Further implementation details were not provided in the report.
