GHMC password laxity a risk for property owners
Its default passwords are known to all DTP operators
Citizens’ ownership of property is under threat because of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) officials’ failure to change their usernames and passwords on the eOffice system. They are continuing to use the default password, which is even known to DTP operators at the corporation’s headquarters, zonal offices and circle offices.
The e-Office system has been installed at the GHMC offices by the department of municipal administration and urban development in coordination with the National Informatics Centre (NIC), Hyderabad, and the IT department.
The NIC has set “ghmc@123” as the default password for all accounts.
Officials are expected to log in for the first time using the default password and then change their usernames and passwords to keep the system secure.
However, according to highly placed sources in the GHMC, the negligent officials have not bothered to change their passwords and have shared the default password with DTP operators. This has resulted in several irregularities.
Sources say that several computer operators have been caught mutating data. However, the GHMC officials do not seem to have learnt their lesson. Despite irregularities having been brought to light, the officials are yet to change their usernames and passwords. Sources say that some officials even leave their digital keys with the computer operators.
A senior GHMC official, on condition of anonymity, admitted that it had been brought to their notice that most officers were continuing to use the default usernames and password on the e-Office system. “Computer operators can only check the status of a file by logging in with officials’ credentials; they cannot process e-Office files,” the official said. When asked about the practice of leaving digital keys with the operators, the official said it if that was the case, it was a matter of concern. He said that officials should be careful about whom they share their digital keys with.
DESPITE IRREGULARITIES having been brought to light, the officials are yet to change their usernames and passwords.