Here's something really weird I found on the internet today. Sabeer Bhatia, the man who founded Hotmail, mentioned that the data of 815 million Indians connected to Aadhaar "is supposedly for sale." Freaky, right? I thought so. So, let's break this down into easy, simple words.
The first thing is just saying the number of 815 million people grabs anyone's attention. That is more than half of the population of India. And just imagine all of that sold for maybe a few hundred dollars. That just seems crazy.
People want evidence
Right after his post, there were many people on social media that asked, "Where is the evidence?"
Some even took it upon themselves to tell Bhatia to not post things without evidence as it serves no purpose to scare people without real evidence.
Bhatia expressed doubts about Aadhaar previously
This isn't his first time. Bhatia has previously described Aadhaar as a colossal error that it could have been developed better and for a lesser investment. Therefore, he was always sceptical of the system.
• No specifics - We don't know what information is "for sale." Are we talking about names? Phone numbers? Biometric data? Nobody knows.
• No official confirmation - UIDAI and others have not confirmed any breach has happened.
• Authenticity uncertain - The information could be outdated, wrong, or completley made up.
So at this moment, we are relying on a claim, which is not verified at the moment.
When it comes to my own Aadhaar data, I do simple things like:
But it is a weak reminder that security needs to be bolstered around massive digital systems. And when someone announces something of this magnitude, we must ask the correct question: Where's the evidence?
What did Bhatia say?
Bhatia tweeted that he read an article stating that 815 million Indians' Aadhaar data was for sale at $80,000. He then qualified that he couldn't confirm whether the story was true. Still, it is an enormous number, and someone might stop and say to themselves, "Is that really possible?"Why are people so concerned about it?
A huge numberThe first thing is just saying the number of 815 million people grabs anyone's attention. That is more than half of the population of India. And just imagine all of that sold for maybe a few hundred dollars. That just seems crazy.
People want evidence
Right after his post, there were many people on social media that asked, "Where is the evidence?"
Some even took it upon themselves to tell Bhatia to not post things without evidence as it serves no purpose to scare people without real evidence.
Bhatia expressed doubts about Aadhaar previously
This isn't his first time. Bhatia has previously described Aadhaar as a colossal error that it could have been developed better and for a lesser investment. Therefore, he was always sceptical of the system.
What exactly do we know?
• No verification - Even Bhatia stated he is unable to determine if there is a data breach or if is there is information for sale.• No specifics - We don't know what information is "for sale." Are we talking about names? Phone numbers? Biometric data? Nobody knows.
• No official confirmation - UIDAI and others have not confirmed any breach has happened.
• Authenticity uncertain - The information could be outdated, wrong, or completley made up.
So at this moment, we are relying on a claim, which is not verified at the moment.
My honest opinion
Honestly, I hope it is made-up information. Hearing problems of data leaks and hacks surrounding sensitive identity information makes me anxious. But until I see validation, I'm left only with what amounts to a warning rather than a confirmed fact.When it comes to my own Aadhaar data, I do simple things like:
- Check my bank and mobile accounts
- Don't click on random links
- Only believe something when it comes officially
- Be extra careful of scams online
Final thoughts
So yes, the headline sounds scary; "Data of 815M people reportedly for sale." But as of right now, it is just a claim. Nothing backed with evidence as of yet.But it is a weak reminder that security needs to be bolstered around massive digital systems. And when someone announces something of this magnitude, we must ask the correct question: Where's the evidence?
