Aadhar data breach: Is your information safe?

Are you worried your personal information linked to Aadhar may be compromised?

Earlier this week, a report in The Tribune revealed how personal information linked to Aadhar was being compromised for money.

The newspaper's reporter had approached 'agents' on WhatsApp who were willing to share Aadhar details for Rs 500.

After securing a user id and login password, this reporter was able to get personal details like name, address, photograph, phone number and e-mail linked to an Aadhar number.

For an additional Rs 300, you could also print these details, The Tribune's report added.

When this investigating team based out of Jalandhar, Punjab communicated this to Sanjay Jindal, additional director-general, UIDAI Regional Centre, Chandigarh he said, "Except the director-general and I, 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."

On Thursday, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) issued a statement claiming the report to be false.

"Tribune's Story "Rs 500, 10 minutes, and you have access to billion Aadhaar details" is a case of misreporting. No biometric data breach," the UIDAI tweeted.

"There has not been any data breach of biometric database which remains fully safe and secure with highest encryption at UIDAI and mere display of demographic info cannot be misused without biometrics," it tweeted. 

In its defense, The Tribune has released a detailed report rebutting UIDAI's claims of 'misreporting'. Click here to read the story.

Dear readers, are you worried that your information linked to Aadhar may be compromised?

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