Aadhaar data leak: Just Google 'Mera Aadhaar Meri Pehchan filetype:pdf'
In a rather worrisome revelation, it has been found that a simple Google search (Mera Aadhaar Meri Pehchan filetype:pdf) can lead people to access the Aadhaar card details of several individuals. These details that can be publicly accessed by anyone on the internet include name, address, Aadhaar card number, parent's name, date of birth, and photograph. Thankfully, the biometric details of individuals are not divulged.
Here's how you can breach the privacy of complete strangers
Go to Google and type 'mera aadhaar meri pehchan filetype:pdf' on the search engine. Multiple PDF files will show up as results. Click on any one of them and download the PDF. And that's it. You will have the Aadhaar details of strangers saved on your desktop. It is ironic that Aadhaar's tagline is a part of the search query that reveals personal data.
The first result on typing the Google search query
The first search result that surfaces on Google is of StarCardsIndia.com, a Hyderabad-based company that provides services like payment gateway and mobile app development. The firm has unwittingly uploaded entire application forms of people who submitted them to obtain a permanent account number (PAN).
Official government websites have uploaded Aadhaar details online
The revelation also brings forth the fact that several websites have uploaded unsolicited Aadhaar details of individuals for no good reason. These include the official website of the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (www.incois.gov.in), the official website of the All India Football Federation (www.the-aiff.com), and even CancerCareTrust.org, which has uploaded Aadhaar details of several cancer patients including children.
This isn't the first time Aadhaar details are getting breached
Earlier this week, French security researcher Elliot Alderson hacked into the Aadhaar app. He was able to bypass the system's password protection protocol within a minute and gain access to 22,000 Aadhaar card details.
