Massive Data Leak Exposes Personal Details of Over 81.5 Crore Indians

In what is being described as possibly the ‘biggest' case of data leak in the country, personal details of more than 81.5 crore Indians have been allegedly leaked online. The leak was initially noticed by an American cyber security and intelligence agency, Resecurity, which identified a ‘threat actor’ posting on an online forum. This leak exposes the personal records of 815 million Indians, a staggeringly high number compared to the total population of countries like Iran, Turkey, and Germany combined.

The leaked information includes Aadhaar and passport details, along with names, phone numbers, and addresses. The hacker claims that this data was extracted from the Covid-19 test details of citizens registered with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). To back up the claim, the hacker posted spreadsheets containing fragments of Aadhaar data, which were confirmed to be valid Aadhaar card IDs upon analysis.

While the ICMR and government have not responded officially, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is expected to probe the matter once a complaint is filed. Top officials from various agencies and ministries have been involved in mitigating the damage caused by the leak, and a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) has been deployed.

This breach poses significant concerns regarding the privacy and security of personal data in India. The leaking of sensitive information such as Aadhaar and passport details raises questions about the effectiveness of data protection measures. Authorities need to take swift action to investigate the breach and prevent future incidents, ensuring the safety of citizens' personal information.