• UGI USER
  • Dec 27, 2023
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SAFETY AND CYBERSECURITY IN DIGITAL INDIA

Issue in Focus:

  • In October, US company RESECURITY revealed Indians’ personal data on the dark web, affecting approximately 815 million citizens.
  • The leaked dataset included name, phone number, Aadhaar number, passport details, and address.
Source:StealthLabs 

Challenges and Consequences:

  • Rising Cyber Fraud: The stolen information, such as Aadhaar and passport details, poses risks of tax identity theft, online-banking fraud, and other scams.
  • Lack of Long-Term Cybersecurity Strategy: While other nations implement strong cybersecurity standards, India faces a consistent lack of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy.
  • Financial Losses: Rising cyber fraud cases contribute to financial losses, debt, and societal stigma.
  • Reputation Risk: India’s attractiveness due to mobile phone usage and growing data generation poses an ongoing risk.

Issues with Aadhaar and Legal Framework:

  • Despite Supreme Court prohibitions, Aadhaar registration became mandatory for various services, exposing citizens to unmanaged digital risks.
  • Concerns about UIDAI’s security were raised, but little progress has been made since 2018.
  • The normalization of data breaches and failures in Aadhaar’s regulation are criticized by experts and organizations like Brookings, Moody’s, and the CAG.