Intro: Harivansh cautioned new Rajya Sabha members to protect digital devices and login credentials from cyberattacks.
TheCyberStreet News
Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh has cautioned newly elected members against cyberattacks and unauthorized access to their official digital devices, describing login credentials as institutional assets belonging to the House itself.
Delivering the valedictory address at Prarambh, a two-day orientation workshop for new members, Harivansh reflected on how the ongoing technological revolution has reshaped parliamentary functioning. He noted that technology experts had already briefed members on digital security practices within Parliament, as well as on emerging technologies relevant to governance more broadly.
Harivansh pointed to the scale of change already underway, noting that widespread digitisation has made the Rajya Sabha significantly more paperless and efficient, with every member now issued official digital devices to support this shift. But that convenience, he stressed, comes with a corresponding duty.
He was direct about where responsibility lies: safeguarding these devices from cyberattacks and unauthorized access isn’t optional or someone else’s job — it rests with each individual member. Framing login credentials as assets of the House itself, rather than merely personal access tools, he underscored that their security is a shared institutional responsibility, not just a matter of personal digital hygiene.
The remarks reflect a broader push within India’s Parliament to treat cybersecurity awareness as a core competency for lawmakers, not a peripheral IT concern — particularly as legislative work increasingly moves onto digital devices and networks that, if compromised, could expose sensitive parliamentary business.
