Source : SIFY
Last Updated: Sun, Mar 18, 2018 17:43 hrs
Read more at: http://www.sify.com/finance/are-your-aadhar-details-available-on-a-google-search-news-finance-sdroRhhhecche.html
The Supreme Court may have directed the government to stop pushing Aadhar seeding for essential services, but there is no respite for Aadhar's security concerns. Elliott Alderson, a security researcher tweeted on Friday that more Aadhar numbers were available on Google Search results. This indicates the Aadhar's failing security standards. It may not appear as a grave concern at the moment.
Aadhar card along with a second identification is sufficient to open a bank account, claim government benefits, and a host of other fictititious transactions including applying for a newer loan.
Imagine a bank calls to inform you that EMIs for a motor loan that you took have not been repaid, or worse a transaction in your name wired to the Panama Islands or even Syria.
Worse, you dont have a credit card, nor have you initiated any of those transactions. Does it sound dangerous? That is indeed the similar level of concern for Aadhar card details landing online on Google search results.
Imposters and Fraudsters could use these details and either create a fake profile or mine additional details and defraud bank accounts of innocent people.
Alderson's tweet should hence act as a warning signal, not only to those managing the government's large Aadhar project, but also individual registrants on the portal.
Alderson tweeted, "Hi @UIDAI and @ceo_uidai, it’s time for you to force your partners to handle #Aadhaar cards in a secure way. If you make a google search query with one of this line you will find thousands of #Aadhaar card. @UIDAI: It’s time to admit that this is not OK and to work on a fix." He suggested that besides the security concerns on Aadhar's own portals, crucial details such as PAN card, driver license were leaked everywhere online.
Alderson, claims to be a French vigilante and may be using a fictional name. Here is his tweet: In case you are keen to track the privacy of your Aadhar number. Here is what you could do.
1. Try the search first on Google, you could also use Advanced Google (Opens in new window) 2. Type the following parameters: 'inurl:gov.in' 'filetype: pdf' 3. You could also use the following keywords: 'Mera Aadhar, Meri Pehchaan filetype:pdf' and/or '"MERA AADHAR, MERI PEHCHAAN" file type:pdf' and/or 'Aam aadmi ka Adhikar filetype:pdf' A handful media outlets suggested adding intext: "Your Aadhar No." to the search portal, but there are chances that your surfing details or history may get captured in search queries. In case you use the Aadhar number, there is a possibility that it may end up as a stored query. You could use your name and keep your Aadhar card secure even from search queries. It will be a wiser practice to open Chrome in an incognito tab in order to prevent your history from being tracked.
Based on a search, Sify.com could track Aadhar details from a handful websites. Here are some details:
1. Pension details of Puducherry have been put up. Names have not been revealed, but a corresponding column reveals bank account and transaction details.
2. Details of companies, Directors, Driving License, Pan Card are available on search portals.
We have purposely refrained from revealing details of the websites containing the Aadhar details We noticed that the data contained scanned images, put up by ministries and other government agencies, but these were not sourced from the Aadhar portal. It is still insufficient to call Aadhar the most secure portal in the world. Concerns on India's largest citizen services network portal have been mounting. A week ago, Alderson claimed to find details of 20,000 Aadhar cards in a matter of 3 hours.
Two months ago, a journalist from The Tribune revealed how agencies tapped into Aadhar's network. In fact, the story was based on the premise that anyone could purchase user credentials for Rs 500 and tap into billions of Aadhar details.
The UIDAI, agency managing the Aadhar network has so far disputed the claims. The Supreme Court is yet to announce on the legality of Aadhar number as a mandatory government document for subscribing to essential services. But even before the Supreme Court has made a ruling, banks and telecom operators have sought customers to connect their Aadhar card number with their phone number and bank accounts.
Read more at: http://www.sify.com/finance/are-your-aadhar-details-available-on-a-google-search-news-finance-sdroRhhhecche.html