Aadhaar data breach shocks Twitterati, top trend for the day

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 4

After an exclusive story by The Tribune on the breach of Aadhaar data, hashtags Aadhaar and Rs 500 were the top trends on Twitter with many prominent users expressing their opinion on the issue.   

A news report published with the title, “Rs 500, 10 minutes, and you have access to billion Aadhaar details”, had reported how a service was being offered by anonymous sellers over WhatsApp that provided unrestricted access to details for any of the more than 1 billion Aadhaar numbers created in India thus far for as little as Rs 500.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

However, the UIDAI’s official Twitter handle denied any data breach of biometric details and said it was a case of “misreporting”.

(Read: Rs 500, 10 minutes, and you have access to billion Aadhaar details)

(Aadhaar data breach finds mention in Parliament)

(Aadhaar data breach shocks Twitterati, top trend for the day)

The official party handle of the Congress party, MP Shashi Tharoor, CPI’s Sitaram Yechury and journalist Pankaj Pachauri among others tweeted on The Tribune story. 

Tribune’s Story “Rs 500, 10 minutes, and you have access to billion Aadhaar details” is a case of misreporting. No biometric data breach @thetribunechd @rsprasad @ceo_uidai @timesofindia @firstpost @IndiaToday @ZeeNews

— Aadhaar (@UIDAI) January 4, 2018

How ₹500 is all it takes to buy you unauthorized access to the #Aadhar database: https://t.co/Q2ksbElnT7

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) January 4, 2018

“UIDAI officials in Chandigarh expressed shock over full data being accessed...” Someone tell UIDAI it needs to to stop being shocked each time there’s a breach & actually improve security if they expect us to entrust our lives to them. #Aadhaar #privacy https://t.co/PTuWUgnfBu

— Maya Mirchandani (@maya206) January 4, 2018

ITS BREACHED!
Ur #Aadhaar are for sale!!

Get shocked reading this investigation done by the @thetribunechd journalist Rachna Khaira#THREAD 👇 https://t.co/mevtDxLcXS

— James Wilson (@jamewils) January 4, 2018

Went to the ATM to withdraw 500 bucks ! Got one billion Aadhar Deatils instead #Aadhar

— Aniket Dharamdasani (@iamaniketmd) January 4, 2018

Rs 500. That's all it takes for someone to steal the data of a billion citizens. Envisioned by UPA as a tool for inclusion, #Aadhaar has become an identity theft nightmare under the NDA. https://t.co/bj5AWLR9JU

— Congress (@INCIndia) January 4, 2018

Govt. swings into damage control mode - days @thetribunechd report is 'misleading'
So who's wrong ? The 100 year old newspaper or the Govt???
Here are the shocking details that the paper uncovered on #Aadhaar via its reporter - firsthand. https://t.co/vmkkeTMwsJ pic.twitter.com/wqJ9ng5OMf

— Akash Banerjee (@akashbanerjee) January 4, 2018

All #AADHAAR data is now toxic. It has been accessed for Rs 500 by an unknown number of people, agencies and countries.
Our reporter authenticated the story by calling up sellers.

Congratulations @thetribunechd for excellent journalistic work. https://t.co/OcVk8f2Tx7

— Pankaj Pachauri (@PankajPachauri) January 4, 2018

The most startling story of this year yet? Needs investigation to determine how bad this #Aadhaar breach is. https://t.co/cKWp23WBNA

— Manu Pubby (@manupubby) January 4, 2018

The perils of making Aadhaar mandatory and linking it to bank accounts, as insisted upon by Modi govt, are visible here. Do we need more proof to stop this madness? https://t.co/9OEbitCmDO

— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) January 4, 2018

‘AADHAR’ data breached yet again!

As every citizen’s personal information is exposed to hackers everyday & ‘Right to Privacy’ is mocked and flouted with impunity, Modi Govt remains immune.

Is anyone listening?https://t.co/UDSfOlSWv9

— Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) January 4, 2018

This is dangerous and criminal negligence of data security. Kudos to the reporter for unveiling the racket. A crackdown on the culprits& a corrective step is imperative: Rs 500, 10 minutes, and you have access to billion Aadhaar details https://t.co/XiYWrzs04H via @thetribunechd

— Nitin A. Gokhale (@nitingokhale) January 4, 2018

Heres another story of #Aadhaar data being accessed / breached - Breach of privacy n also cud be a case negligence by @UIDAI - dear @rsprasad @PMOIndia https://t.co/jrmGc4HtbA

— Rajeev Chandrasekhar (@rajeev_mp) January 4, 2018