India / CRPF bans use of smartphones by staff in 'high sensitivity areas'

New Delhi: The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in its new guidelines, prohibited the use of smartphones in high sensitivity areas. The new guidelines will be applicable for all staff including civilian staff and jawans.

"The basic purpose of having a smartphone guideline in an organisation is to define guidelines for information security within the Force. The fundamental principles of information security are confidentiality, integrity, and availability," said CRPF in its newly issued guidelines prohibiting the use of smartphones in high sensitivity areas.

According to national news agency ANI "Every element of an information security program and every security control put in place by an entity should be designed to achieve one or more of these principles. Therefore, it is important to consider the acceptable and not acceptable use of smartphones in an organisation. These guidelines outline the use of smartphones at work. Excessive unrestricted usage can lead to a breach of security."

The CRPF will ban the use of phones that can record via camera, can store data and can access the internet.

The new guidelines state that smartphones can be used without restrictions in low-sensitivity areas where there is no active duty or handling of any unclassified documents.

"Medium-sensitive areas" include operational active duty and particular area of the facility dealing with direct handling of confidential documents, like specific branches of Administrative block, Field duty, Operations and Hospitals. High-sensitivity" areas include places designated or accredited for the processing, handling or discussion of classified information in real-time, operations rooms, and conference halls. Smartphones are allowed only after approval of Head of Office. Mobile Phones are allowed. Every person should inculcate a sense/duty of confidentiality," said the guideline issued by the CRPF.

"Guidelines for sharing of information over mobile phones will be similar to that of guidelines already issued for phones. Use of mobile camera or recorder is strictly prohibited from recording any organisational confidential information," added the guideline.

According to CRPF, personnel are also expected to maintain discretion in using mobile phones during working hours. The guidelines also states that excessive personal phone calls can also hampter productivity while on duty.