Microsoft Windows is a popular operating system majorly due to its ease of use, and the Indian government uses it to run its systems.
However, to curb cyberattacks on India’s Defence Ministry system, the Ministry is set to replace the operating system used on its internet-connected machines with another one called Maya OS.
This move is motivated by previous cyberattacks on the Ministry by foreign players and has been in motion since 2021.
India has been a proponent of the use of indigenous technology, and the development of an operating system to replace Microsoft Windows on its system is one step in that direction, but it is motivated by the need to establish a more secure environment for the government system due to the growing rate of cyberattacks.
Yes, the Maya OS is an indigenous operating system designed for use on India’s government’s internet-connected computers. However, while the Indian Navy has apparently adopted Maya OS, the Air Force, and Army are currently evaluating the operating system.
According to The Indian Express, “A team of experts from various government agencies worked on Maya OS for six months.” The article added, “The team also collaborated with Indian software companies and academic institutions to test and improve the OS.”
What is Maya OS?
Maya OS is a newly developed operating system built locally in India to be adopted by ministries in the state so as to create a more secure environment for government infrastructure.
The OS is an open-source operating system that is based on Ubuntu Linux Distribution which doesn’t have loopholes that can be easily attacked by hackers, unlike Microsoft Windows.
The operating system is named after the ancient Indian idea of illusion, most likely to make the technology sound more indigenous, as it is a native project.
According to The Times Express, “One of the main advantages of Maya OS is that it has a similar interface and functionality as Windows, making it easy for users to adapt to it.”
So, basically, the operating system retains a similar interface to Windows so that users may transition seamlessly.
The article further states that “it also has a feature called Chakravyuh, an end-point anti-malware and antivirus software that creates a virtual layer between the user and the internet, blocking hackers from accessing sensitive data.”
Chakravyuh, the endpoint protection system, comes with Maya OS as a feature to make the operating system “impenetrable” to attackers.
Conclusively, it is wonderful to see India taking steps to lessen dependency on foreign technologies while encouraging their usage in domestic initiatives.
Additionally, enhanced security is envisaged for India’s Defence Ministry because Linux, on which the distribution Maya OS is based, is inherently a more secure operating system than Windows.