Aadhaar is without security support
In one of his campaign speeches, Prime Minister Modi has said though his party is all set to digitize India through technology-empowerment the opposition parties are opposing to that tooth and nail. As usual, the Prime Minister has only spoken the half-truth in this matter. Yes, some of the most technically-informed and sound minds are opposing across-the-board implementation of Aadhar without adequate preparation. And while they are at it, what they are opposing is not the Aadhaar itself, but the misuse of Aadhaar and related data by the agencies which may implement it without full preparation. People are definitely concerned about those forces which are bound to misuse the data from the nation that can be accessed through Aadhaar, to destabilize the democracy that holds it together.
Aadhaar has been in news in the recent times owing to data breach on various fronts through many agencies. Even the Supreme Court has not been able to come to a definite decision on implementation of Aadhar since the court also has apprehensions about the full impact of this. And the central government has been unable to provide satisfactory answer to the concerns raised by the Supreme Court. When the issue is still being debated, how can the Prime Minister harp about Aadhaar being his government’s ambitious step towards implementation of technology?
The 12 digit biometric identity tool Aadhaar has been mired in some controversy or the other ever since it was started in 2009 by the central government. Social activists and digital experts have been raising the security and privacy concerns the system possesses since the very beginning. Agencies of the central government have now made mentioning of Aadhar number compulsory for the beneficiaries of social welfare schemes and filing of tax returns.
Though this has been done despite the issues that remain unresolved, the apprehensions of data relating to Aadhar being collected by third party which can misused, is not without any concrete basis. In the last two years, the Aadhar data has been leaked twice on a massive scale. And some reports have even proved Aadhar data can be bought by third party vendors for a price. Central government itself has admitted that it had provided wrong direction to people about the government’s insistence of attaching Aadhar number to the mobile number.
In his report, independent researcher Kodalli Srinivas had documented about the Aadhar numbers being revealed by Andhra government in 2015-18 of 20,71,913 mothers including those who had their first child. As a response to this, Andhra government has initiated an enquiry jointly with the central government agencies, and verification of various state government websites pertaining to the security features.
The Business Standard magazine had reported last week that the EPFO website was being hacked and data theft had taken place. As a result of this, many websites that help attach Aadhar number to this welfare scheme have been shut down since the last month and half. In Telangana, the website that had details of the State Government Treasuries was being hacked and data relating to account number and Aadhar numbers of the 2.5 lakh beneficiaries were stolen. On earlier occasions, the details of senior beneficiaries that were stolen had created a lot of problems. About 300 Hyderabadis had their data breached owing to weak security systems. In the recent times, the central government in an interview to an English daily had mentioned that the central government had provided wrong information about linking mobile sim with Aadhar to continue with the services as per the Supreme Court rules.
Justice D Y Chandrachud, who is on the bench that’s hearing the Aadhaar security case, had criticized the central government over this stating the central government had ‘used’ SC as a tool to the mobile users to part with their Aadhar number. Before crying victim on Aadhar implementation, the Prime Minister and his team have to answer the genuine concerns raised by experts and citizens on the data safety and security. Any hasty implementation of this most significant tool can be a massive misuse of technology and this would lead to worst results.
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London, Nov 22: A bomb disposal squad deployed as a “precaution” to the South Terminal of Gatwick Airport concluded an investigation into a "security incident" on Friday after making a “suspect package” safe.
The South Terminal of Gatwick Airport, the UK's second busiest airport after Heathrow, which was briefly shut owing to the incident reopened following the incident.
The Gatwick is around 45 km south of London.
Two people detained during the enquiries have since been allowed to continue their journey as the airport was opened.
“Police have concluded their investigation into a report of a suspect package at Gatwick Airport. Officers from the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team made the package safe, and the airport has been handed back to its operator,” Sussex Police said in an updated statement.
“Two people detained while enquiries were ongoing have subsequently been allowed to continue their journeys. There will remain an increased police presence in the area to assist with passengers accessing the South Terminal for onward travel,” the statement added.
Earlier on Friday, the incident caused severe disruption at the busy airport’s South Terminal, while the North Terminal of Gatwick Airport remained unaffected.
“Police were called to the South Terminal at Gatwick Airport at 8.20 am on Friday (November 22) following the discovery of a suspected prohibited item in luggage,” a Sussex Police statement said.
“To ensure the safety of the public, staff and other airport users, a security cordon has been put in place whilst the matter is dealt with. As a precaution, an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team is being deployed to the airport. This is causing significant disruption and some roads around the South Terminal have been closed. We’d advise the public to avoid the area where possible,” it said.
Footage on social media taken outside the airport showed crowds of frustrated travellers being moved away from the terminal building.
Gatwick said it was working hard to resolve the issue.
“A large part of the South Terminal has been evacuated as a precaution while we continue to investigate a security incident," the airport said in a social media post.
“Passengers will not be able to enter the South Terminal while this is ongoing. The safety and security of our passengers and staff remain our top priority. We are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.”
Train and bus services that serve the airport were also impacted while the police carried out their inquiries.
In an unrelated incident in south London on Friday morning, the US Embassy area in Nine Elms by the River Thames was the scene of a controlled explosion by Scotland Yard dealing with what they believe may have been a “hoax device”.
“We can confirm the 'loud bang' reported in the area a short time ago was a controlled explosion carried out by officers,” the Metropolitan Police said in a post on X.
“Initial indications are that the item was a hoax device. An investigation will now follow. Some cordons will remain in place for the time being but the majority of the police response will now be stood down,” it added.
