Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) Chairman R.S. Sharma had put himself in trouble after disclosing his Aadhaar number. A user wi...
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) Chairman R.S. Sharma had put himself in trouble after disclosing his Aadhaar number. A user with Twitter handle @kingslyj challenged RS Sharma for stating 'Aadhaar doesn’t violate privacy, adding that no one can harm him if he shares his Aadhaar details'. He wrote, “We have paid your salary for all these years @rssharma3 please share all your personal data with us.”
https://twitter.com/kingslyj/status/1023038976838365184
In another tweet, he wrote, “Walk your talk @rssharma3! Publish your Aadhaar details to the public if you have so much trust in this 13ft wall secured system.”
https://twitter.com/kingslyj/status/1023040557205975040
RS Sharma also took up the challenge and disclosed his Aadhaar no. on Twitter. Here’s what he wrote, “My Aadhaar number is 7621 7768 2740. Now I give this challenge to you: Show me one concrete example where you can do any harm to me!”
https://twitter.com/rssharma3/status/1023119411568201730
He challenged everyone to show how sheer knowledge of the unique number could be used to harm him. In no time, ethical hackers on claimed to have the bank account details, phone number, PAN card details and other personal details of TRAI Chairman and posted the same on Twitter.
Users also posted screenshots of sending Rs 1 to Sharma via the Aadhaar-Enabled Payment Service using apps like BHIM and Paytm, and through IMPS. They also posted the transaction IDs. The challenge and its fallout caused a flutter in parliament, where opposition parties have repeatedly raised questions about the security of citizen's data.
What the TRAI Chairman has perhaps forgotten is that the central data repository at the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) may be secure, but several third-party vendors are now increasingly accepting Aadhaar as a key document and that opens it up for misuse, especially given the weak cybersecurity laws in the country.
They also claimed to have his bank account number and IFSC code for five other accounts - in PNB, Bank of India, SBI (joint account), Kotak Mahindra and ICICI Bank. Anivar Aravind and a few others sent Re 1 to his Bank of India account via AEPS. Twitter users cautioned the chairman that the ability to send money to him without his consent could expose him to blackmail, money laundering and other dangers.
Mr. Sharma is a former chief of the UIDAI, the body in charge of Aadhaar. He had posted the challenge in response to technology developer Kingsly John's tweet. He asked for one example. Respondents bombarded him with many. But Mr. Sharma, engaging with those who tweeted his details, wrote that there was "so far no success" to his challenge as much of what was being posted is already in the public domain.
https://twitter.com/kingslyj/status/1023038976838365184
In another tweet, he wrote, “Walk your talk @rssharma3! Publish your Aadhaar details to the public if you have so much trust in this 13ft wall secured system.”
https://twitter.com/kingslyj/status/1023040557205975040
RS Sharma also took up the challenge and disclosed his Aadhaar no. on Twitter. Here’s what he wrote, “My Aadhaar number is 7621 7768 2740. Now I give this challenge to you: Show me one concrete example where you can do any harm to me!”
https://twitter.com/rssharma3/status/1023119411568201730
He challenged everyone to show how sheer knowledge of the unique number could be used to harm him. In no time, ethical hackers on claimed to have the bank account details, phone number, PAN card details and other personal details of TRAI Chairman and posted the same on Twitter.
Users also posted screenshots of sending Rs 1 to Sharma via the Aadhaar-Enabled Payment Service using apps like BHIM and Paytm, and through IMPS. They also posted the transaction IDs. The challenge and its fallout caused a flutter in parliament, where opposition parties have repeatedly raised questions about the security of citizen's data.
What the TRAI Chairman has perhaps forgotten is that the central data repository at the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) may be secure, but several third-party vendors are now increasingly accepting Aadhaar as a key document and that opens it up for misuse, especially given the weak cybersecurity laws in the country.
They also claimed to have his bank account number and IFSC code for five other accounts - in PNB, Bank of India, SBI (joint account), Kotak Mahindra and ICICI Bank. Anivar Aravind and a few others sent Re 1 to his Bank of India account via AEPS. Twitter users cautioned the chairman that the ability to send money to him without his consent could expose him to blackmail, money laundering and other dangers.
Mr. Sharma is a former chief of the UIDAI, the body in charge of Aadhaar. He had posted the challenge in response to technology developer Kingsly John's tweet. He asked for one example. Respondents bombarded him with many. But Mr. Sharma, engaging with those who tweeted his details, wrote that there was "so far no success" to his challenge as much of what was being posted is already in the public domain.
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