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NDTV
New Delhi: The UIDAI, the body that governs Aadhaar, has maintained that its database is secure with them. But there have been reports of multiple government departments using the Aadhaar data and have been found disclosing private details of lakhs of citizens. Despite these leaks being reported, ...
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Financial Express
Ever since the five-judge Constitution bench judging the constitutional validity of Aadhaar said, on Wednesday, that the Supreme Court had never directed that mobile phones be linked to Aadhaar numbers—when the government ordered this last year in March, it said it was the result of an SC order—all ...
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India Today
Do you remember the Department of Telecom (DoT) order in 2017 that made it mandatory for Indians to link Aadhaar number with SIM cards? The order is no longer available on the DoT website. In that order, the government had said that the Aadhaar-mobile number linking was mandatory because the ...
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Economic Times
How to open an NPS account online. ET Bureau|. Apr 30, 2018, 06.30 AM IST. 0Comments. ee3 While investing online, Aadhaar should have current address and mobile number and PAN should be linked to bank account.
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MediaNama.com
“This has enabled our 2,000 Business Correspondent Agents for Aadhaar based Cash Withdrawals & Cash Deposits”, the company had said then, adding that it enables “card less and PIN-less Aadhaar ATM service.” and “Using the PayNEARBY mobile application on a smartphone, a Retailer can ...
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The Telegraph India
Computer scientists Manindra Agrawal and Sandeep Shukla hope to use a mix of mathematics and cryptography techniques to develop the new system that they say has potential applications across governance - from land records to income tax transactions to access to Aadhaar data. "This will have ...
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The New Indian Express
KOCHI:Panish Hangal, partner, Arka Advisory Services India, Bengaluru, said our legal system must be further strengthened to tackle Aadhaar database leak. Speaking at a seminar on 'Cyber Security for Business Resilience' organized by Indo- American Chamber of Commerce here, he pointed out ...
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The Hindu
The Tribal welfare department recently wrote to the State-Level Bankers Committee (SLBC) asking it to consider the Aadhaar number as valid identity of land. Further, since, the title holders of the land have rights —cultivation and habitation by inheritance, and cannot be sold or gifted, the documents like ...
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The Asian Age
The Supreme Court has specifically directed that benefits can't be denied just because someone doesn't have an Aadhaar card, for instance. Madhya Pradesh governor Anandiben Patel, who's no stranger to administration being a former Gujarat CM, seems to have forgotten she's now a ceremonial ...
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Business Standard
While EPFO was able to paint a clearer picture of the payroll stock with Aadhaar being the unique identifier for its subscribers, the ESIC data carries with it a high probability of duplication as employees had different registration numbers for multiple jobs. The monthly age-wise payroll data showed that the ...
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The Hitavada
Aadhaar enrollment and updation centres are functioning in more than 11,000 post offices, which will benefit general public, especially poor and backward. All 473 such centres in Madhya Pradesh are functioning and in a short span, 3,121 enrollments and 22,323 Aadhaar updation has been done in ...
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Deccan Herald
The government has also waived off MDR charges on transactions of up to Rs 2,000 made through debit cards, BHIM UPI or Aadhaar-enabled payment systems to promote digital transactions starting from January 2018, for the next two years. However, the usage of cards have not picked up. Recently ...
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The Indian Express
A year ago, Rajaram Desale, a farmer in Thane whose six-year-old son is suffering from blood cancer, was travelling in a bus from Shahapur to Mumbai, when he lost the photocopies of his son's medical documents, Aadhaar and ration cards. Desale's son, Bharat, was diagnosed in April 2016 and had ...
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Economic Times
For instance, freebies were distributed in the Islampur slum only after voters produced Aadhaar, ID card and voter ID. Rukhsaar (name changed), 22, said that only the three women in their family of five have enrolled in the voters' list. “We received RS 1,000 each. Cookers or kitchen equipment would ...
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The Hindu
The CM, who held a review meeting on Labour Welfare at Pragati Bhavan here on Saturday, instructed officials to prepare a report on number of workers in the unorganised sector, organised sector and what measures were taken for their health, welfare and insurance. He said Aadhaar should be linked ...
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The New Indian Express
These apps collect details such as your salary slip, bank account, aadhaar, address and other personal details. Many of them use Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a tool to crawl through your social media to gauge the creditworthiness of the person trying to avail the loan. Little known to those availing the ...
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The New Indian Express
An estimate based on various factors such as occupancy rate, season, demand etc.To stay at any hotel in the city or anywhere else in India, one needs to provide any photo identity card such as passport, voter identity card, aadhaar card, pan card, driving licence, Photo ID issued by any government ...
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The Hindu
An alert pesticide shop owner saved the life of a man, who reportedly tried to commit suicide on Sunday. The victim, a resident of Yenamalakuduru, visited the shop near the Vinayaka temple under the One Town police limits and asked for a pesticide bottle. When the owner asked for his Aadhaar card, ...
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The Telegraph India
Of the 4,100 child labourers who have been registered with the CLTS, 1,454 kids' bank accounts have already been linked to the Aadhaar card so that they can be directly given the benefits of various schemes. The state government provides Rs 25,000 from the chief minister's relief fund to rescued child ...
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The Tribune
He said the All India Bank Officers' Confederation (AIBOC) has been opposing the move of the Central Government through the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to slap an additional burden of Aadhaar enrolment on selected branches of public sector banks right from its inception.
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Times of India
LUCKNOW: The overall pass percentage in the UP Secondary Education Board — one of the world's biggest examinations — has dipped sharply due to stringent anti-copying measures taken up by the state administration. This year the number of students skipping the exam also rose to 11.3 lakh from ...
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India Today
Sharma said Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath wants the Tahsil Diwas to take form of a Sampurna Samadhan Diwas to resolve the problems of the people including those related to ration cards, Aadhaar, pension schemes and various certificates. He said the Centres schemes such as the Prime Minister ...
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The Statesman
... 57,127 candidates appeared for the AP SSC Board examination this year out of which 56,035 were regular candidates. Students who appeared for the examinations had to carry their Aadhaar cards inside the exam halls as was mandated by the Board. Results can also be checked on examresults.net.
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Monday, April 30, 2018
13403 - Aadhaar Articles Dated 30th April 2018
Sunday, April 29, 2018
13402 - Andhra Pradesh government shuts down 3 sites for data leak - Deccan Chronicle
DECCAN CHRONICLE. | COREENA SUARES
Published
Apr 29, 2018, 1:20 am IST
So far, AP government websites have leaked data concerning nearly two crore Aadhaar card holders out of a state population of five crore.
Andhra Pradesh government
Hyderabad: The Andhra Pradesh government finally pulled its act together on Saturday and shut down pages of three websites leaking sensitive private information of several lakh Aadhaar cardholders, including that of 69.83 lakh students.
The move comes after repeated complaints over five days to the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT).
So far, the AP government websites have leaked data concerning nearly two crore Aadhaar card holders out of a state population of five crore.
The Commissionerate of School Education (AP) website had collected information of 69,83,048 students across the state to primarily identify the percentage of school dropouts.
However, the government website leaked names, addresses and Aadhaar details of those students. Second, the AP State Housing Corporation website was found to be displaying Aadhaar numbers, bank branches, IFSC codes, account numbers, father’s names, addresses, gram panchayat, mobile numbers, ration card numbers, occupation, religion and caste of housing scheme beneficiaries. And third, the Wages & Social Security Pensions (MGNREGA) Benefit Disbursement Portal (AP) put on public display the identity of benefit recipients.
The data leak was identified by independent security researcher Srinivas Kodali, who filed multiple complaints with various state and Central security agencies, and told Deccan Chronicle that AP has no centralised agency to report data breaches, except for a cyber-security website.
“Even the UIDAI does not have a central platform to accept complaints. However, when the issue was raised to multiple agencies including CERT and the National Physical Information Protection Centre, the pages were removed from the websites,” he said.
Asked if the AP government has enlisted his support to conceal the data, the researcher said, “Not yet, but in case it does, I can help. The government should first understand the limitations of technology.”
13401 - Hyderabad: People line-up at banks over fake Aadhaar alert - Deccan Chronicle
DECCAN CHRONICLE. | COREENA SUARES
Published
Apr 29, 2018, 2:03 am IST
Programmed messages throw bank customers into panic.
After standing in the queue for nearly 20 minutes, the staffer after verifying my account informed me that my Aadhaar linkage is successful.”, Geetha Naik said
Hyderabad: Geetha Naik, 52, of Vahini Nagar, Sikh Village, received a message on March 12, 2018, from Axis Bank with a header saying “Government Mandate, Your Aadhaar linkage has failed, to avoid blocking of your Axis bank account by 31/03/18, visit your branch.” Following this, the 52-year-old said, “I took my grandson along to Bowenpally (centre point branch). After standing in the queue for nearly 20 minutes, the staffer after verifying my account informed me that my Aadhaar linkage is successful.”
Unverified bulk messages like “We regret to inform you that your attempt to update Aadhaar has failed due to a difference in your details updated with the bank & UIDAI. We request you to visit the nearest branch at the earliest” from certain banks are proving a hassle to customers. But in reality, many of these customers’ accounts are already linked with their Aadhaar. An insider of a regional bank said such messages were programmed months ago and are being sent now.
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Another Ms Ananya (name changed) who received a similar message from Standard Chartered bank, said, “The text read my Aadhaar card linkage has failed and I need to update it to avoid transactions being blocked. I rushed to the regional branch the same afternoon only to hear the banker say my Aadhaar has been linked and there is no issue. Such messages panic account holders, especially senior citizens living on a pension who fear even that personal revenue being blocked.”
Another problem prevailing at the banks was that staffers hesitate to link accounts with Aadhaar cards if the customers’ full names are not printed on their cards. Those having initials printed instead of full name have a tough time answering several questions. Thogota Arvind Reddy of Erramanzil faced a tough time as the bank employee did not accept his Aadhaar card as his name read T Arvind Reddy. “I have been a longtime customer of SBI through which I'm currently drawing my pension, even then they asked my details out of suspicion,” said Mr Reddy.
An insider from a regional bank said, “These messages were programmed when the banks starting asking for Aadhaar card account, linkage and few more messages were structured to inform customers if their linkage has failed, however since the messages are sent in bulk, they end up reaching those whose linkage is successful. Messages are sent through shortcode gateways to all customers registered with the bank. In case the customer has linked his/her Aadhaar and there is no block in transactions, this message should be ignored or reported to the bank.”
13400 - Beware, SIM card sellers can misuse your Aadhaar biometrics - The Hindu
HYDERABAD, APRIL 28, 2018 23:37 IST
Thumb rule: Linking of Aadhaar card being done for a new SIM card. | Photo Credit: G_RAMAKRISHNA
New cards can be activated using fingerprints multiple times
Next time you want to buy a new Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card for your mobile device, be wary if your retailer tries to take your Aadhaar-linked fingerprints more than once.
The retailer can get a new SIM card activated — without your knowledge — using your thumb impression multiple times. Cases have surfaced of SIM cards thus activated being sold to persons who have then used them to commit crimes.
A SIM card retailer of Yasin Mobiles shop, Mohammed Rahmatullah, in Amberpet of Hyderabad was caught by Department of Telecommunications officials here two days ago on such a charge. “He admitted to have sold over 150 SIM cards fraudulently acquired in this manner. Some of these cards are being used to operate illegal Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone call rackets at different places in the country,” a senior DoT officer told The Hindu.
VoIP racket
A Hyderabadi woman grew suspicious when she got a phone call from abroad with a local mobile phone number. She complained to a DoT call centre. “Our inquiries confirmed that she got phone call from abroad through someone operating a VoIP racket, who purchased a local SIM card from a retailer. The latter got that SIM card activated by misusing Aadhaar biometrics of an unsuspecting person,” they explained.
Further investigations suggested that SIM cards obtained by misusing customers were being used by many illegal phone call operators in other parts like Delhi. “We’re alerting officials concerned and catching them with the help of local police,” the DoT officials said. VoIP call rackets are not only making a huge dent on the exchequer but also raising security concerns. The authorities are worried that these cards may land in the hands of terrorists.
Mobile phone service SIM card sellers have Aadhaar card biometrics readers, and the scanners are connected to a computer to process applications for different service providers. Retailers verify customer’s fingerprints often with customers not being able to see the confirmation of identify on computer screens.
“Customers do not know if biometrics matched in the first attempt. Hence, retailers collect fingerprints multiple times,” the authorities said. When the fingerprints match, automatically all details, including photograph, available in Aadhaar card, are captured in the mobile phone service provider’s Know Your Customer (KYC) form.
Earlier, this was done manually using a photocopy of customer’s identity proof document. The retailers who create multiple SIM using a single identity are reportedly selling them to fraudsters for ₹1,000 to ₹3,000 each.
Since roaming charges were done away with, SIM cards purchased in Hyderabad can be used anywhere. “Our analysis of some SIM cards sold by Rahmathullah suggest that they were being used to operate VoIP call rackets from various places in the country,” the investigators said.
Amberpet police of Hyderabad Commissionerate registered a criminal case against Mohammed Rahamatullah and he was booked under sections 471 (using forged document or electronic record as genuine) and 420 (cheating) of IPC, besides Indian Telegraph Act provisions.
DoT officials are planning to take up a countrywide campaign to caution people against falling prey to the misuse of Aadhaar biometrics by SIM card sellers. Mobile phone service providers have been asked to send individual messages to all their customers about the fraudulent practice.
The campaign would use short video clips, slides and photos. “We are yet to devise a plan on alerting people of rural and remote parts about the scam,” the officials said.
13399 - Aadhaar Articles Dated 29th April 2018
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Times of India
The centers will assist the people for enrollment for Aadhaar, updation of information in UID and other Aadhaar-related services. The posts offices that have special counters include Akurdi, Aundh camp, Chinchwad East, Chinchwadgaon, CME, Dapodi, Kasarwadi, PCNT, Pimplegurav, Pimpri Colony, ...
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The Hindu
She complained to a DoT call centre. “Our inquiries confirmed that she got phone call from abroad through someone operating a VoIP racket, who purchased a local SIM card from a retailer. The latter got that SIM card activated by misusing Aadhaar biometrics of an unsuspecting person,” they explained.
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Deccan Chronicle
Hyderabad: Geetha Naik, 52, of Vahini Nagar, Sikh Village, received a message on March 12, 2018, from Axis Bank with a header saying “Government Mandate, Your Aadhaar linkage has failed, to avoid blocking of your Axis bank account by 31/03/18, visit your branch.” Following this, the 52-year-old ...
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Times of India
Aadhaar numbers and other data was displayed on the website by the department. The same was discovered by cyber security researcher Kodali Srinivas, who informed Computer Emergency Response Team. To track school dropouts, the school education department website had put Aadhaar details ...
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Inc42 Media
In a similar digital data breach, UIDAI is currently faced with scores of criticisms related to the security of Aadhaar cards after massive data leak got exposed on Twitter by Aadhaar whistleblower Srinivas Kodali who published the screenshots of Aadhaar data details of MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi ...
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State Times
The Supreme Court's clarification that it had never asked for linking of Aadhaar with mobile phone numbers seems to have fallen on deaf ears. Besides continuing with the pesky calls and spam text messages, mobile phone retailers are refusing to issue new SIM cards to people without Aadhaar, the ...
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Deccan Chronicle
Hyderabad: The Andhra Pradesh government finally pulled its act together on Saturday and shut down pages of three websites leaking sensitive private information of several lakh Aadhaar cardholders, including that of 69.83 lakh students. The move comes after repeated complaints over five days to the ...
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Mid-Day
"Aadhaar has been at the centre of controversy mainly due to privacy concerns. Because privacy is intrinsic to this community, it's important to flag this. We are in no way influencing the debate," says Mukherjee. The manual states clearly that Aadhaar does not require people to verify their gender.
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The Asian Age
A separate PIL seeking linking of Aadhaar with Election Identity Card and documents of movable and immovable property is also pending before the CJI. The Chief Justice of India is hearing the Ayodhya Case and declined Congress leader's request of adjournment. A PIL seeking ban against the ...
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Times of India
He said, 89 lakh labourers have been registered with their Aadhaar at naregasoft while a total of 66 lakh have been paid their wages through ABPS (Aadhaar-based payment system). Sethi, who was at the helm of the department for two years, said, out of the 11.55 lakh works completed under NREGA, ...
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The Hans India
He said the state also became first in completing Aadhaar linking of pattadars in land records, implementation of e-Panta, completing geo-tagging of each land parcel in the state, giving access to public to view and print the land records online through Meebhoomi web portal and achieving maximum ...
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Kashmir Observer
Civil Government also established a stall on AADHAAR. The stalls of mobile companies assisted the Veterans in connecting the AADHAAR with registered mobile numbers and highlighted their facilities. Felicitation of the oldest veteran Subedar (Honorary Captain ) Ab Abad Reshi and Veer Naaris was ...
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Brighter Kashmir
Veterans Rally was organised by the Army on 28 April 2018 under the aegis of 19 Infantry Division at Baramulla Military Station. The rally was another stepping stone towards supporting welfare schemes and measures for improvement and upliftment of the Veterans and Veer Naris. The rally witnessed ...
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The Hindu
In her complaint, she said the purse had her ID card, Aadhaar card, debit card, a gold chain and other items worth ₹45,000. When asked about the delay in filing complaint, she cited her busy work schedule ahead of the elections. The police, who went to the PG for inspection, said the CCTV had stopped ...
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The Hindu
It also said the government planned to publicise their photographs, addresses, PAN card details, Aadhaar card number, fingerprints and DNA samples through this registry. Government had said the initial consultation draft includes the registration of individuals “convicted for offences like rape, voyeurism ...
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Times of India
National biometric ID Aadhaar has institutionalised how to deal with people's identity. He also cited the recently promulgated legislation on dealing with economic offenders fleeing the country. "One thing I would like to stress is that the kind of reforms undertaken are truly phenomenal and big," he added.
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Moneylife
As many as 93 organisations have issued a joint statement regarding issues related to banking including non-availability of currency, linking of Aadhaar, fomenting distrust against banks, effort to tax free services and the mad rush to force people into digital transactions are causing enormous hardship to ...
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The Sangai Express
Grievances related to ration cards, Aadhaar cards, labour cards, CMST, CMHT etc would be addressed at these camps, if reasonable, said the source. Applications for MUDRA loans would be examined at these camps and eligible applicants would be selected, added the source. BREAKING NEWS.
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Hindustan Times
Sources said Sushil alias Chris had left CPI (Maoist) squad after Kundan Pahan's surrender and got himself a new Aadhaar card, on the basis of which he got jobs in Chennai and later in Punjab. Pahan had admitted to have killed Munda for Rs 5 crore given to him by Raja Peter during interrogation by ...
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Times of India
He had deposited copies of his Aadhaar card, driving licence and PAN card as identity and address proof. On April 21, the bank received a complaint from Vinod Gupta, a resident of Delhi's Malviya Nagar, who alleged that he was made to deposit a total of Rs 66,150 in two installments of Rs 42,150 and ...
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The Siasat Daily
Hyderabad: Under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas (PMKV) Kendra, free training is being offered to unemployed youths belonging to minority communities. Such of the candidates within the age limit 18-35 years and who have passed 10th standard may join the free training program for learning English ...
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India Today
Aadhaar should be linked to all the workers and they should be registered in the labour department," a release from the chief ministers office said. Rao, who held a meeting with officials on labour welfare issues, instructed that a report be prepared on the number of workers in the unorganised sector and ...
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The Sangai Express
Aadhaar Card, driving licence, Indian currency of Rs 1000/- were also recovered from the individual. An FIR has been lodged at Saikul PS and the apprehended individual and recovered items have been handed over to Saikul police yesterday. 653 Kgs Ganja seized added by thesangaiexpress on April ...
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E-Pao.net
Grievances related to ration cards, Aadhaar cards, labour cards, CMST, CMHT etc would be addressed at these camps, if reasonable, said the source. Applications for MUDRA loans would be examined at these camps and eligible applicants would be selected, added the source. * This news is as ...
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The Arunachal Times
BOMDILA, Apr 28: The state level handholding training on Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandhana Yojana (PMMVY), common application software, and ICDS rapid reporting system (RRS) for CDPOs and data entry operators across the state concluded here on Saturday. The month-long training programme ...
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13398 - 2 Days, 3 Leaks: Who Needs To Break 'The 5 Ft Thick Wall' Of Uidai If Aadhaar Data Is Available Online? - INC42
The Data Leak Revealed Sensitive Details Including A Person's Aadhaar Number, Bank Branch, IFSC Code, Account Number, Caste, Address And Other Details
April 27, 2018 3 min read
INC42 STAFF
In the times of Facebook’s apology over trust breach, Cambridge Analytica’s dirty data games and the EU and the UK bolstering data privacy and protecting by replacing the 1995 directive with a new strong law – GDPR, UIDAI chose to turn a blind eye over the never-ending Aadhaar data leaks.
Unlike Facebook which immediately offered its sincere apology and other private companies like Cambridge Analytica which even suspended its own chief amid data leaks, UIDAI while initially firmly fought against Indians’ right to privacy in the Supreme Court, later issued a bizarre clarification in the court that the Aadhaar data is protected by 13 Ft high and 5 Ft thick walls.
However, the bizarre clarification and the UIDAI decision to add another layer of Virtual ID security to Aadhaar, yet again, succumbed to the latest massive data leak revelation exposed recently on Twitter.
In contrast to the tall UIDAI claims, another Aadhaar whistleblower Srinivas Kodali published the screenshots of Aadhaar data details of MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) beneficiaries.
RELATED STORIES:
Suggesting a data leak of 8.9 Mn, the scale is much higher than Facebook’s effected data leak in India. The data leak also revealed details such as a person’s Aadhaar number, bank branch, IFSC code, account number, father’s name, address, Panchayat, mobile number, ration card number, occupation, religion and caste, on its website Andhra Pradesh Benefit Disbursement Portal.
After the expose, the website has started masking the data.
In the last two days, Srinivas has taken UIDAI on a ride, exposing three big massive Aadhaar leaks back-to-back.
A day earlier, Andhra Pradesh State Housing Corporation website in its data list titled ‘Beneficiary Details belonging to Entry Report for Scheme Hudhud’ had published the Aadhaar data of 134K people.
In another latest revelation, Srinivas has further claimed that around 69,83,048 children’s Aadhaar data is available online. Publishing the screenshots of the same, Srinivas yet again has questioned, “Who is responsible to protect their privacy – Govt, parents, teachers or SC?”
“The first leak I reported was the children’s Aadhaar detail available online, way back in February, 2017. The UIDAI has never acknowledged the leak and sees no problem with the leak.”
Earlier, the Tribune had published how a Rajasthan government’s portal login and password were on sale to access Aadhaar details. The UIDAI, in contrast of issuing an apology, had in fact went on to register an FIR against the journalist.
Interestingly, while the Indian government has expressed dissatisfaction over the “cryptic responses” shared by Facebook and Cambridge Analytica pertaining to the data breach, it has not even questioned or issued any such notice to its own organisation UIDAI, responsible for the Aadhaar data protection across the country.
On April 25, while hearing the Aadhaar case, the SC reproached the Indian government for invoking Supreme Court’s name while asking people to link Aadhaar with their mobile number. To which, the UIDAI lawyer Rakesh Dwivedi accepted the fact that there was no Supreme Court order making it compulsory to link Aadhaar with mobile phone numbers.
It’s worth noting that Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister of Law, on September 10, 2017, had tweeted, “Yes, you need to link your mobile number with Aadhaar as directed by the SC.”
Note: We at Inc42 take our ethics very seriously. More information about it can be found here.
13397 - Aadhaar numbers of 69,83,048 school children leaked, reports security researcher - Medianama
Security researcher Srinivas Kodali has reported another leak of Aadhaar numbers, this time, of school going children, along with details of their school, class, medium (language) and date of birth.
Around 69,83,048 children's #Aadhaar data is leaking online. Who is responsible to protect their privacy, Govt, parents, teachers or SC? The first leak I reported in Feb, 2017 was children's data. The UIDAI has never acknowledged this and continues to say, there is no problem.
Security researcher Srinivas Kodali has reported several leaks of data in the past. Notably the leak of over 130 million Aadhaar linked details last year and the leaks of surveillance enabling data and data of MNREGA workers this week.
This isn’t the first time that government websites have leaked data of citizens. Srinivas Kodali has also reported a leak of 500,000 to 600,000 Aadhaar details of children by a Telangana Government website last year.
The government has repeatedly denied leaks and breaches of Aadhaar data, including in replies to direct questions in the Parliament:
As on date, no incident of data breach has been reported from Central Identities Data Repository (CIDR) of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).
MediaNama’s take
Children in India are legally not able to consent, and making the providing of Aadhaar mandatory in schools forces enrollment with the “consent” of the guardian. However, in reality the parent or guardian has no choice but to get the Aadhaar made, so the consent is illusory. This had been a point of argument by petitioners in the constitutional challenge to Aadhaarbeing heard by a 5 judge bench in the Supreme Court of India.
Leaks of information of this sort further compromise the privacy of children and can make them vulnerable to criminals who can use such information to gain their trust. Children, for example are usually taught to not trust strangers, but if the stranger knows their school, class, and even their birth date, perhaps the names of some friends and challenges them to recognize them?
There is increasing aggregation of data of children due to Aadhaar. An example is theGovernment of Haryana recording not just the names and Aadhaars of students, but their religions, castes, parents names and Aadhaar, their occupations, income and more.
Additionally, the usual problems with data leaks apply. Insecure websites making confidential data public, lack of appropriate reporting mechanisms and ongoing government denials and lack of engagement on the seriousness of breaches of privacy caused due to inefficient government websites as well as government policies that force citizens to give up their information.