A WikiLeaks report points
out that the CIA uses a covert information collection tool called ExpressLane
to spy on India's Aadhaar data. The Indian government has reportedly denied any
such data leaks and breach of privacy.
A new report from GGI
News cites a recent WikiLeaks expose, saying that the US intelligence agency,
CIA, may have access to the biometric data of India’s 1.17 billion Aadhaar card
users.
As per the WikiLeaks
report, the CIA uses a covert information collection tool to snoop on other US-based
intelligence organisations like the National Security Agency, the Department of
Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
In it’s report WikiLeaks
writes, “The OTS (Office of Technical Services), a branch within the CIA, has a
biometric collection system that is provided to liaison services around the
world -- with the expectation for sharing of the biometric takes collected on
the systems. But this 'voluntary sharing' obviously does not work or is
considered insufficient by the CIA, because ExpressLane is a covert information
collection tool that is used by the CIA to secretly exfiltrate data collections
from such systems provided to liaison services.”
The ExpressLane tool is
then installed and run under the guise of upgrading the biometric software by
OTS agents. “Liaison officers overseeing this procedure will remain
unsuspicious, as the data exfiltration disguises behind a Windows installation
splash screen,” writes WikiLeaks.
Now, the core components
of the OTS system are based on products by Cross Match Technologies, a US based
biometrics company that is certified by the Aadhaar statutory body - Unique
Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). Cross Match provides the fingerprint
capture and Iris scanning device for Aadhaar registrations and verifications,
and the same are used by most UIDAI certified Aadhaar enrollment agencies. It
is alleged that the CIA may have access to all of India’s Aadhaar data through
the biometrics company and its products. A big slap in the face for the
recently passed right to privacy verdict.
Responding to the
allegations, government sources told Times of India that the leak of Aadhaar
data to any third party is impossible as the data is received in an encrypted
form by vendors, after which it is passed onto the Aadhaar servers. "The
reports do not have any basis in fact. Aadhaar data is safely encrypted and is
not accessible to any other agency,” the report said quoting official
government sources. Cross Match has not responded to several media queries as
of yet.
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