New Delhi: In a significant move, the central government has blocked several websites that were exposing sensitive personal identifiable information, including Aadhaar and PAN card details of Indian citizens. This decision was announced in an official statement from the government.
The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), operating under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, identified security flaws in these websites, prompting the government to take immediate action.
According to the statement, “It has come to the notice of the ministry that some websites were exposing sensitive personal information, including Aadhaar and PAN card details of Indian citizens. This matter has been taken seriously as the government gives top priority to safe cyber security behavior and protection of personal data. Accordingly, prompt action has been taken to block these websites.”
Security Flaws Identified
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has lodged a complaint with the concerned police authorities for violating the prohibition on public display of Aadhaar-related details under the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016.
The statement further elaborated, “CERT-In has revealed some security flaws from the analysis of these websites. The concerned website owners have been provided guidance on the action to be taken at their level to strengthen the ICT infrastructure and rectify the flaws.”
Legal Recourse for Affected Parties
Under the IT Act, any adversely affected party can contact the adjudicating officer to file a complaint and seek compensation. IT secretaries of the states have been empowered as adjudicating officers.
This action comes in the wake of a recent claim by a cybersecurity researcher that officials from Star Health Insurance had sold the data of 3.1 crore customers.
