CoWIN App breached; User Data under jeopardy?

The CoWIN app has reportedly been penetrated by a software attack that has put the data of millions of users at risk. This app was used by the government to attain identity details of all citizens to ensure a comprehensive vaccination drive when they Covid cases were spreading like wildfire in India. The Fourth News has reported that the same CoWIN App has now been breached, which puts the Aadhar details, the PAN card details and other personal information of the users in jeopardy, which has caused an alarm among people.

The Health Ministry has not yet issued a statement on this matter. As per the said report, a bot in the Telegram app uses the phone number dialled on the CoWIN app and retrieved the private details of the individuals, which can be accessed on the app. An official has told Hindustan Times that whenever a report of any breach emerges, the standard protocol dictates running a thorough audit through the user database to verify the situation, which is likely what is being done at the moment. The Health Ministry is expected to provide clarity on this development soon.