- Nepal's Gen Z protests damaged government digital infrastructure, impacting services like driver's licenses.
- The Integrated Data Management Centre (IDMC), a crucial data repository, was thankfully unharmed.
- Telecommunication companies experienced partial disruptions but mostly maintained service despite attacks.
Digital infrastructures in Nepal came under target during the recent Gen Z protests. As many private and public infrastructures were set ablaze, it inspired the thought of how critically important they are to the country in today’s growingly digital age.
When vandals torched the Department of Transport Management (DoTM), it impacted eDEVRS, driving licenses had disappeared on the Nagarik App. Many other government agencies that saw their servers lost have shut down their operations for an indefinite period. While the Supreme Court and Investment Board, which have their backup systems, are restoring details to come to full operation soon.
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Digital infrastructures in Nepal suffered during Gen Z protests
As the Gen Z protest escalated, Nepal’s telecommunications, internet, data and cloud services, radio, etc., continued to operate. Let’s keep a few exceptions when Vianet, Ntc had their services disrupted partially, as a whole, communications services withstood troubles. There was genuine fear of things to come if the Integrated Data Management Centre (IDMC) were damaged, which thankfully didn’t transpire.
Manish Bhattarai, head of the IDMC, said that the primary data center in Singha Durbar, Kathmandu, and the data recovery office in Hetauda were untouched.
Bhattarai declared, “Data center damage would have been greater than physical destruction; the country would have gone blank.” He added, Thousands of records and documents would have forever gone if NIDS and data recovery systems were targeted.”
The IDMC operates government office websites, including those of 753 local bodies. It stores data of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the Home Ministry, the Office of the Company Registrar, etc. In essence, it’s an exceptionally key digital asset for the country.
Likewise, data of the Investment Board hosted at the data center is safe. Spokesman Pradyumna Prasad Upadhyaya said that their local servers were burnt and they are still trying to assess the losses.
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NTC, Ncell continued to serve despite suffering partial damage
NTC offices in Birgunj, Pokhara, and a few other cities were damaged as protesters pelted office buildings with stones. NT’s 70,000+ recharge cards were stolen. AT the same time, Ncell’s headquarters, Ncell Icon in Lainchaur, was torched. Its other offices in Dhangadhi, Mahendranagar, and Pokhara also came under target. But their services largely remained operational with only partial disruptions.
ISPs such as WorldLink, Classic Tech, and Subisu mostly continued their services unaffected. Others, such as Vianet and CG Net, did suffer some breakdown in their services, but their servers were not harmed. But regular repair and maintenance couldn’t proceed due to the curfew.
The digital fractures of Nepal came under heavy scrutiny during the Gen Z protests and exposed how vulnerable their safety measures are. There was a time when everyone was merely wishing that the protesters wouldn’t cause damage to IDMC. Telcos and ISPs could run their services because of the combination of luck and security and the more of the former than the latter.
Therefore, it’s a wake-up call to the government and companies to enhance security measures of digital assets and ensure their backup systems to prevent a possible future disaster.
