Largest ever data breach in India's history available on dark web
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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.
The initial discovery of this staggering data breach was made by Resecurity, an American agency specializing in cybersecurity and intelligence. 'pwn0001' disclosed details about the breach on Breach Forums on October 9, proudly announcing the availability of a mind-boggling 815 million records, including "Indian Citizen Aadhaar & Passport" data.
To verify the accuracy of the leaked records, researchers turned to the government portal's "Verify Aadhaar" feature, which successfully authenticated the Aadhaar information.
The Computer Emergency Response Team of India (CERT-In) has also alerted ICMR about the breach, indicating the gravity of the situation.
