Income Tax Department Launches Secure Email System Following Breaches

Following some instances of breach in its email system, the Income Tax department has launched a secure email system for staff asking then to get new email IDs prepared after validation of the login procedure.

The department has discontinued its earlier email system, and an official told IANS that "the new email system is for secure communication within the department and will ensure that no confidential information or data is stolen".

"There have some instances of breach in the system earlier which led to fraudulent transfer of funds," he said.

As per the new system, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) will create an email ID and a password on the basis of details of the employee code, designation, personal email ID, mobile number, the commissionerate that he or she is working in and bona fide signature provided by the employee. The new IDs will be registered under the 'incometax.gov.in' or 'incometaxindia.gov.in' domains.

The IT department communications involve sensitive information about taxpayers like refunds and returns data, while it has been, of late, concerned about misuse of cyber-tools and attempts of phishing, that is the process of trying to acquire sensitive information like user name, password and credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy source in an email.

"Do not open any attachments. Attachments may contain malicious code that will infect your computer. Do not click on any links. If you clicked on links in a suspicious email or phishing website then do not enter confidential information like bank account, credit card details," the CBDT said in a recent public advisory.

The income tax department is poised to launch the updated version of its website that will be a single-window for all online services offered by the department.

The website will be more user-friendly and robust, so that it can handle many hits at a time, the official said.