Defence Ministry to switch to locally built OS in computers amid threats

In the face of increasing cyber and malware attacks on defence as well as critical infrastructure across the country, the Defence Ministry has decided to replace the Microsoft Operating System (OS) in all computers connected to the Internet with a new OS, Maya, based on open-source Ubuntu developed locally.

“Maya has the interface and all functionality like Windows and users will not feel much difference as they transition to it. To begin with, the direction is to install Maya on all computers connected to the Internet in South Block before August 15,” one official involved in the process said. In addition, an ‘end point detection and protection system’, ‘Chakravyuh’, is also being installed in these systems.

Currently, Maya is being installed only in Defence Ministry systems and not on computers connected to the networks of the three Services.

On this, the official said the three Services had also vetted it and would adopt it on service networks as well soon.

The Navy had already cleared it and the Army and the Air Force were currently evaluating it, the official added. Maya was developed by government development agencies within six months, the official said. Maya would prevent malware attacks and other cyberattacks which had seen a steep increase, the official noted.

There have been a series of malware and ransom attacks in the country, including on critical infrastructure in the recent past. There have been several efforts in the past as well in the Defence Ministry to replace Windows OS with an Indian one.