According to a statement released by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on September 26, the Union government has blacklisted a number of websites. These websites were discovered to be disclosing sensitive personal information, such as Aadhaar and PAN card numbers.
The central government stated that cybersecurity and the protection of personal data of its citizens are the top priorities. It also warned that strict action will be taken against anyone attempting to violate these protections.
Security Gaps Found
Security gaps were found in the impacted websites during an investigation by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In). According to MeitY, the site administrators have received instructions on how to strengthen their IT infrastructure in order to address the found vulnerabilities.
In accordance with the Information Technology Act of 2000, CERT-In has also mandated compliance with information security procedures. It also released security guidelines for all organizations managing IT applications.
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Affected Individuals to Get Compensation
The ministry stated that those individuals affected by this security breach may seek compensation through state-appointed adjudicating officers, citing current regulations under the Information Technology Act and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act of 2023.
According to section 46 of the IT Act, any party that has been negatively impacted may file a complaint and request compensation with the adjudicating officer. The IT Act gives the State IT Secretaries the authority to act as adjudicating officers.
Awareness Campaign For Cybersecurity
Additionally, a public awareness campaign about responsible data use and cybersecurity procedures is being launched for the government agencies, business, and the general public.
The statement read, "This will help create a nationwide awareness and understanding among diverse stakeholders about responsible use and proactive measures which will curb various entities' needless exposure of personal data."
This breach of personal information is a wake-up call for the Indian government to strengthen the security of important documents. Steps are being taken, and awareness programs are being launched. The government of India has stated that cybersecurity of its citizens is among the priority of the nation.
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