Centre blocks websites exposing Aadhaar, PAN details of citizens

New Delhi: The Indian government has blocked several websites that were revealing sensitive personal information, including Aadhaar and PAN card details, of citizens. The Ministry of Information Technology (IT) was alerted about these portals and their potential security risks. In response, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) filed a complaint with the police, citing violations of the Aadhaar Act concerning the public display of Aadhaar information.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) stated that an analysis by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) found security vulnerabilities in these websites. The owners of the affected websites were advised on how to improve their IT systems and address these weaknesses.

Additionally, CERT-In has issued guidelines for all organisations using IT applications to enhance information security. Under the Information Technology Act, 2000, the agency has provided directions on best practices for preventing and responding to cyber incidents. The Act prohibits the publication and disclosure of sensitive personal data.

Individuals who feel their data has been misused can file a complaint with an Adjudicating Officer, as per Section 46 of the IT Act. The IT Secretaries of each State are authorised to act as Adjudicating Officers.

“Further, the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 has already been enacted and the Rules under this Act are in the advanced stage of drafting,” it added.

The government has also launched a program aimed at raising awareness about responsible data use and promoting measures to prevent unnecessary exposure of personal information.

Agency