No data breach on Aarogya Setu app: Government

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Reddit
  • Flipboard
  • Email
  • WhatsApp
Aarogya Setu App
Aarogya Setu App

New Delhi : There has been no security and data breach on the Aarogya Setu application, the government said on Wednesday after a group hackers claimed that the "privacy of 90 million Indians is at stake".

French "white hat", or ethical hacker also called Congress President Rahul Gandhi right over warnings against the use of the application.

In a statement released this morning the government said there was "no data or security breach" and that "no personal information of any user has been proven to be at risk by this ethical hacker". The hacker responded: "Today, I will write a detailed article on the Aarogya Setu issue. It shuld be ready end of today".

Shortly after the exchange of tweets with the hacker, the government released a six-page document that highlighted measures being taken to protect users' data, privacy and security.

The government has also said the app "never reveals your personal identity" and that "identity of COVID-19 patients is NOT shared with the public at large". Other assurances given include: "Government uses your information ONLY for administering COVID-19-related health interventions and NOT any other purpose".

Several people across the country have raised suspicion on the app which has been made mandatory for the public and private sector employees to head out.

India has nearly 50,000 COVID-19 cases and 1,694 deaths have been linked to the virus. A number of other countries, including Singapore and the United Kingdom, have also developed apps to monitor movement of COVID-19 cases.