Kathmandu, Oct. 26 -- Nepal's government websites are gradually returning after authorities applied security patches to a critical vulnerability in PHP, a programming language widely used to build websites, following precautionary shutdowns to guard against potential cyberattacks.

The Software Development and Operation Centre (SDOC) said it had completed the necessary security updates and audits and restored most government portals. However, some services, including the Medical Education Commission's website and the Nagarik App, remain unavailable.

Kiran Timilsina, chief executive officer of the SDOC, said thousands of government websites operating under the shared Government Integrated Website Management System (GIWMS) had been patched...