MUMBAI: Cyberspace security experts are worried about the risk to customers using Aadhaar numbers and one-time passwords for authentication of financial transactions after it was revealed that a large cache of Aadhaar numbers had become public.
Bengaluru-based think tank, Centre for Internet and Society (CIS), has published a report highlighting how 13.5 crore Aadhaar accounts have been exposed by government departments.
The report, by Amber Sinha and Srinivas Kodali, said the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) and the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, administered by the ministry of rural development, and the Chandranna Bima Scheme of the Andhra Pradesh government have made Aadhaar numbers public.
In some cases, bank account details and mobile numbers of millions of citizens are available. While many officials say the availability of the Aadhaar number itself is not a breach, payment industry security experts disagree.
According to Nitin Bhatnagar, associate VP (business) at SISA, a payment security specialist, said the exposing of an Aadhaar number amounts to a breach. "Any element of payment data exposure is considered a breach in the payment industry," Bhatnagar said.
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