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Opposition leaders allege leak of personal info from CoWIN

The leak of personal info from CoWIN is a huge question mark for the Indian government. The issue must be taken up with utmost sincerity and seriousness. 

Leak of personal info from CoWIN- Is Your Data Really Unsafe?


 

A few days ago, some opposition leaders alleged the leak of personal data from CoWIN. This news was particularly worrisome for the Indian population who had extensively used the app during the pandemic. But, the main question is- is your data really unsafe? Was data from CoWIN leaked? What are the next steps?

On June 12th, it was reported that a telegram account had shared sensitive and personal data of many people which was stored on the Co-WIN portal. This breach of privacy and data impacted lakhs of Indians. However, the account and channel that promoted it were later deactivated, and the data was removed. 

What data was leaked?

Names, personal phone numbers, Aadhar numbers, passport numbers, Voter ID details and details of vaccination taken were data that were made public. 

Derek O’Brien of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) also lodged a complaint with the cyber police station in Kolkata regarding the leak of personal data from the CoWIN portal. 

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He sighted that his own data was also available in this data leak-
“On June 12, I was made aware by my well-wishers that my personal information such as my date of birth, passport details and mobile number were publicly made available through a social media platform/app”
He further added, “ It seems there is a notorious conspiracy at play to make available sensitive information to private players through government resources.”

The Response From The Government

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The government responded to these allegations by saying that the data from the Ministry of Health’s Co-WIN was completely safe and there was no leak. It also said that the ‘Health Ministry had requested CERT-In to look into this issue and submit a report.’

So, was there a leak?

Many news reports along with individuals have confirmed the leak. However, the government calls these reports “baseless and mischievous”. 

In any case, it is important that the leak is investigated into and the Government must assure people the safety and security of their data. This also puts into question the data privacy laws of India, rather, the absence of a comprehensive law to safeguard our data. 

Steps must be taken to ensure that the data does not fall into the wrong hands and the life of so many Indians are compromised. 

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Harshita Bajaj

Harshita has a background in Psychology and Criminology and is currently pursuing her PhD in Criminology. She can be found reading crime thrillers (or any other book for that matter) or binge-watching shows on Netflix when she is not in hibernation.
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