In a significant and potentially the largest data breach in India’s history, sensitive personal data of 815 million Indian citizens has been exposed and found on the dark web.
The leaked information reportedly originates from the database of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), although the exact source of the breach remains shrouded in mystery.
The breach, which has sent shockwaves throughout the nation, has brought the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into action, as they seek to uncover the epicenter of this massive data leak. It was ‘pwn0001,’ an unidentified hacker, who first advertised the stolen information on the dark web, drawing immediate attention to the breach.
According to the hacker’s claims, the compromised data includes Aadhaar and passport details, along with names, phone numbers, and both temporary and permanent addresses of millions of Indians. Remarkably, this data is said to have been collected by ICMR during COVID-19 testing, adding an alarming dimension to the breach.
Hacker Reveals Stolen Data on Dark Web
The Computer Emergency Response Team of India (CERT-In) has also alerted ICMR about the breach, indicating the gravity of the situation.
The challenge faced in pinpointing the breach’s exact source is further compounded by the scattering of COVID-19 test information across various government bodies, including the National Informatics Centre (NIC), ICMR, and the Ministry of Health.
