After Aadhaar, Hackers Now Selling Voter ID Data For Mere 50 Paise

Thanks to the poor security system of maintaining confidential database of the citizens, after Aadhaar data leak it now appears your voter ID details can be illegally accessed and sold for 50 paise to Rs 2.50.

By using certain commands on the computer, all the confidential data such as the mobile number, email ID, the documents or bank accounts linked to the Voter ID cards, can be easily accessed by the hackers. MAIL TODAY has learnt that hackers have been selling this data in the underground market.

The rates of these confidential details are as low as 50 paisa per information and goes up to Rs 2.50. However, the sellers provide the data in bulk, said a highly-placed source who is keeping a tight vigil on this illegal practice.

The demand of the database of identity proofs such as voter ID card and Aadhaar card has increased in the recent times. The interconnection of all documents with financial accounts has made this data vulnerable. Once the hackers access this data, they sell it to the cyber criminals or someone who wants it, said Kislay Chaudhary, chairman of Indian Cyber Army, an association of ethical hackers.

Generally, details such as a persons name, age and location (assembly constituency number) and his fathers name are available on the election commission website, another cyber expert told Mail Today.

But now the hackers are accessing other confidential details that are not meant for the public domain, he added.

Meanwhile, cyber experts believe that Application Program Interface (API) used by the government to protect confidential database is not secured and can be easily hacked. Experts said the easy availability of data encourages cyber crime and financial fraud.

Once the voter ID data is accessed, the person can easily access all the other documents linked to it, and also the bank details and other financial transactions that are linked with it, a source said.

The underground market is quite active these days and by accessing the Aadhaar database, targeting vulnerable persons become easier.

Financial fraud is just a call away as the caller has all your details and you have no option but to trust the caller, the source said.

Cyber experts believe that in the absence of a good privacy law and provisions that prescribe punishment in case of private data leak, private and public agencies in India are often careless about the handling of data.

The private details of people have not only leaked from government websites but also from private bodies such as banks, telecom operators, insurance providers and financial organisations.

Recently, a major data leak came to light which involved a website that was illegally selling private information of people.

Source:in