Aadhaar's Robust Security Framework: No Data Breaches in World's Largest Biometric System

The Ministry of Electronics & IT confirmed on Wednesday that no data breach has occurred in the Unique Identification Authority of India's (UIDAI) Aadhaar database to date.

New Delhi:

The security of the world's largest biometric identification system remains intact, as officially stated by the Ministry of Electronics & IT. They have emphasized that the Aadhaar system continues to maintain robust protection measures.

"Aadhaar stands as the world's largest biometric identity system with approximately 134 crores active Aadhaar holders," the ministry declared.

"The system has successfully completed over 16,000 crore authentication transactions," the statement further noted.

During a session in the Lok Sabha on December 17, Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada affirmed that Aadhaar remains secure due to comprehensive technological and institutional safeguards implemented by the government.

With around 134 crore active users, Aadhaar has processed more than 16,000 crore authentication transactions since its inception, solidifying its position as the world's largest biometric identity program.

The minister explained that UIDAI implements a multi-layered security framework based on the "defence-in-depth" approach to safeguard personal information.

"This means multiple levels of protection are integrated into the system, ensuring that if one layer is compromised, others continue to protect the data," the ministry clarified.

"The entire infrastructure undergoes regular reviews and audits to maintain its security integrity," they added.

To prevent unauthorized access or interception, Aadhaar data is secured using sophisticated encryption technologies during both transmission and storage.

The Aadhaar system has been designated as a protected system, placing it under the continuous surveillance of the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC).

This agency regularly provides security recommendations to enhance UIDAI's cybersecurity posture.

Furthermore, an independent audit organization has been commissioned to develop and oversee a Governance, Risk, Compliance and Performance framework for the entire Aadhaar ecosystem.

The minister also informed the House that UIDAI conducts ongoing cybersecurity audits of its applications, including static and dynamic security testing, to identify and address vulnerabilities at an early stage.