UIDAI recently assured people of India that their “Aadhaar data is fully safe and secure,” through the various source. Media new report has revealed that anonymous sellers are selling Aadhaar details through WhatsApp for just Rs 500.
As the government announces to link your Aadhaar card number with the bank and mobile number, once again an innocent Indian rush to stand in a queue as last year to deposit their old currency, only the difference this time they stand to link there Aaadhar card. Who was knowing the step they are taking will become sore in his bone throat for their privacy.
Tribune has revealed that sellers are selling Aadhaar detail on WhatsApp and providing unrestricted access to over a billion Aadhaar details for just Rs 500. The Tribune reports that a correspondent “purchased” a service from an anonymous seller on WhatsApp by paying Rs 500 via Paytm. Within minutes, the agent provided a login ID and password to a portal where the correspondent could enter any Aadhaar number and gain instant access to all of its details including name, address, phone number, photo, and email.
UIDAI has denied the Tribune’s investigation and is calling it a case of misreporting. It assures that there has been no Aadhaar data breach and that data is fully safe and secure. UIDAI has not provided any further detail regarding the matter.
The biggest security breach of Aadhaar seen so far and UIDAI agreed when contacted. Officials were “shocked” on hearing about the scam and have taken up the matter with UIDAI technical consultants in Bengaluru.
Sanjay Jindal, Additional Director-General, UIDAI Regional Centre, Chandigarh told The Tribune that Director-General and I, only hold password no third person in Punjab should have a login access to our official portal. Anyone else having access is illegal, and is a major national security breach,”
The investigation revealed that the operation started around six months ago. Some anonymous groups were created on WhatsApp who began by targeting over 3-lakh village-level enterprises (VLE) hired by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (ME&IT) under the Common Service Centres Scheme (CSCS) and offered them unrestricted access to all Aadhaar details that have been created so far. Initially, the CSCS was entrusted with making Aadhaar card in India, but their job was soon taken and given to post offices and designated banks in the month of November to avoid security breaches.
Jindal says this report can only be confirmed after a technical investigation has been conducted as UIDAI is looking into the matter.
