India’s Aadhaar Digital ID System Suffers Massive Data Breach Affecting 815 Million Records
India’s centralized digital identity system, Aadhaar, has been compromised in one of the largest data breaches in history. Sensitive information belonging to 815 million citizens—including names, addresses, phone numbers, passport details, and biometric data—was leaked and sold on the Dark Web for a mere $80,000. The breach originated from unpatched vulnerabilities in the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) database, exposing critical flaws in the nation’s digital infrastructure.
Security failures were exacerbated by readily available $35 software patches that disabled biometric authentication, allowing fraudulent Aadhaar number generation without verification. Government APIs provided unrestricted access to personal data, violating the Aadhaar Act’s privacy safeguards. The incident raises urgent questions about the risks of centralized identity systems and the growing market for exploited personal data.
