The Union government has taken decisive action by blocking several websites that were found to be leaking sensitive personal information, including Aadhaar and PAN card details, according to a statement from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology on Thursday. This move follows a police complaint lodged by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) regarding the public display of Aadhaar data, which constitutes a violation of the Aadhaar Act of 2016. The government emphasized its commitment to prioritizing cybersecurity and the protection of personal data in light of this breach.
In response to the situation, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has issued security guidelines for all entities managing IT applications and has mandated compliance with established information security practices under the Information Technology Act of 2000.
The official release stated, “This has been taken up seriously as the Government accords the highest priority to safe cybersecurity practices and protection of personal data. In line with this, prompt action has been taken to block these websites.”
Investigations by CERT-In revealed security vulnerabilities in the affected websites. The operators of these sites have been provided guidance on enhancing their IT infrastructure to address these flaws.
The ministry also referenced existing provisions under the Information Technology Act and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act of 2023, informing affected individuals that they can seek compensation through state-appointed adjudicating officers. “Any adversely affected party can approach the Adjudicating Officer under section 46 of the IT Act for filing a complaint and seeking compensation,” the government stated. IT Secretaries in the states are empowered to act as Adjudicating Officers under this framework.
Additionally, the government plans to launch an awareness program aimed at educating government agencies, industries, and the public about responsible data use and cybersecurity practices. “This initiative will help create nationwide awareness and understanding among diverse stakeholders regarding the responsible use of data and proactive measures to prevent unnecessary exposure of personal information,” the statement concluded.
