UIDAI steps up security around Aadhaar; introduces ‘Virtual ID’ :-

Sub  :- UIDAI steps up security around Aadhaar; introduces ‘Virtual ID’ :-
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Ref Media reports— By PTI | Jan 10, 2018 04:02 pm

1.

New Delhi: In a bid to address privacy concerns, the UIDAI today introduced a new concept of ‘Virtual ID’ which Aadhaar-card holder can generate from its website and give for various purposes, including SIM verification, instead of sharing the actual 12-digit biometric ID.
This will give the users the option of not sharing their Aadhaar number at the time of authentication.

The Virtual ID, which would be a random 16-digit number, together with biometrics of the user would give any authorised agency like a mobile company, limited details like name, address and photograph, which are enough for any verification.


Officials said a user can generate as many Virtual IDs as he or she wants. The older ID gets automatically cancelled once a fresh one is generated.

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has also introduced the concept of ‘limited KYC’ under which it will only provide need-based or limited details of a user to an authorised agency that is providing a particular service, say, a telco.

The Virtual ID will be a temporary and revocable 16 digit random number mapped to a person’s Aadhaar number and the Aadhaar-issuing body will start accepting it from March 1, 2018. From June 1, 2018 it will be compulsory for all agencies that undertake authentication to accept the Virtual ID from their users.

Agencies that do not migrate to the new system to offer this additional option to their users by the stipulated deadline will face financial disincentives.

“Aadhaar number holder can use Virtual ID in lieu of Aadhaar number whenever authentication or KYC services are performed. Authentication may be performed using the Virtual ID in a manner similar to using Aadhaar number,” a UIDAI circular said.

The move aims to strengthen the privacy and security of Aadhaar data and comes amid heightened concerns around the collection and storage of personal and demographic data of individuals.

Users can go to the UIDAI website to generate their virtual ID which will be valid for a defined period of time, or till the user decides to change it.

They can give this Virtual ID to service agencies along with the fingerprint at the time of authentication. Since the system generated Virtual ID will be mapped to an individual’s Aadhaar number itself at the back end, it will do away with the need for the user to share Aadhaar number for authentication. It will also reduce the collection of Aadhaar numbers by various agencies.

As per the UIDAI, agencies that undertake authentication would not be allowed to generate the Virtual ID on behalf of Aadhaar holder. The UIDAI is instructing all agencies using its authentication and eKYC services to ensure Aadhaar holders can provide the 16-digit Virtual ID instead of Aadhaar number within their application.

As many as 119 crore biometric identifiers have been issued so far and Aadhaar is required as an identity proof of residents by various government and non-government entities. For instance, the government has made it mandatory for verifying bank account and PAN to weed out black money and bring unaccounted wealth to book. The same for SIM has been mandated to establish the identity of mobile phone users.

2.

UIDAI Introduces Virtual ID System to Improve Aadhaar Privacy :
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New Delhi, Jan 10: Days after a report claimed a breach in the Aadhaar data, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) on Wednesday launched the concept of a Virtual ID which will give Aadhaar-card holders an option to not share their 12-digit biometric ID for SIM verification and other purposes. The virtual ID, which would be a random 16-digit number, will be used to authenticate Aadhaar holders through a new authentication method called Limited KYC.

The new virtual ID will give the users the option of not sharing their Aadhaar number at the time of authentication. The virtual ID can be used for verification. The user can also create as many virtual IDs as s/he wants, UIDAI said. Once the users create a new virtual ID, the old ID would automatically get cancelled. The Virtual ID would allow users to share limited details like name, address and photograph, which are enough for any verification to any authorised agency like a mobile company.


THIS IS HOW A VIRTUAL ID WILL WORK : -
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Once the users have created a Virtual ID, they will not have to share their Aadhaar number for verification or authentication.

The Virtual ID will be a 16-digit random number.

Under the Limited KYC concept, one can provide only need-based or limited details to an authorised agency for obtaining a particular service. This will prevent the agencies from storing your Aadhaar number. It is mandatory for all the agencies to adopt the new system by June 1, 2018. The Virtual ID will be accepted from March 1, 2018.

This has come a few days after a deputy director of UIDAI on January 8 had filed an FIR against The Tribune journalist who exposed how the Aadhaar details of millions of Indians are on sale for just Rs 500. Not just that, for Rs 300, one could even make a fake Aadhaar ID, the investigation report said. The FIR also mentions the names of one Anil Kumar and one Sunil Kumar who allegedly sold the data to the journalist.

The journalist had exposed that millions of Aadhaar details such as name, email ID, phone number, address, postal code (PIN) that individuals have submitted to the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) could be accessed by paying just Rs 500.

An RBI-backed research note had also flagged some serious issues in the Aadhaar privacy. “Aadhaar faces a number of challenges over the short and long-term. The primary challenge is to protect the data from prying and excessive profit-seeking excess of the business world,” it said.

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Opinion :-

1. The present Government is continuously on work;

2. Taking steps, to users worries;

3. Those who follow PM, must be knowing, that he is an action personality;

4. You suggest him, with new ideas, innovations, and many more for the Nation, PM will take it and implement them if they are true and genuine;

5. Opposition instead of wasting man-hour in the parliament, give good suggestions; but what to do, they do not, as politics come first, than Nation.

6. In logic, there are two to three methods.

i. The first one is where both the parties ( Government and Opposition party-s ) have different views but they discuss to arrive at the truth. Both of them agree that I will give up my view if we arrive at the truth. This is called a healthy discussion for arriving at the truth. ( Here in Parliament it is not happening ) then what?

ii. The second one is where there are two parties – they have their views and their idea is to win the argument, not to arrive at the truth. ( This is now happening )

iii. The third type is – whatever is your view, I oppose it. If you ask him, “What is your view?” he says, “I don’t have any view but whatever you say is wrong.” ( THE PRESENT TRUE RESULT IN OUR PARLIAMENT)

7. Realization of truth far away, when opposition, play party politics, for them that is more important ( profitable ) than NATION.

**There is a need for gaining the vision of oneness and understanding these values. **

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Jaihind
VandeMatharam