UIDAI denies unconfirmed reports stating US CIA can access Aadhaar database

Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has denied reports stating that the US Central Intelligence Agency can access Aadhaar database.

Recently, unconfirmed reports, based on information made public by WikiLeaks, have claimed that the US CIA has access to the Aadhaar database.

WikiLeaks documents say CIA used ExpressLane, a tool made by Cross Match Technologies, a company that makes biometric sensors, to snoop around electronically. “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," says the published document.

"Some vested interests are trying to spread misinformation that since Cross Match is one of many devices which are being used in biometric devices by various registrars and agencies in Aadhaar ecosystem, the biometrics being captured for Aadhaar are allegedly unauthorizedly accessed by others," the UIDAI said.

How Aadhaar will transform India in the future

It further said that the Aadhaar biometric capture system has been developed within India, and has adequate and robust security features to prevent any possibility of any such unauthorised capture and transmission of data regardless of any biometric device that may be used.

Any biometric device before being used in Aadhaar system, apart from being  thoroughly tested internally, is tested extensively by an external agency Standardised Testing Quality Certification (STQC) and certified, said the UIDAI.

More than 117 crore people have been allotted Aadhaar by UIDAI and it carries out more than 4 crore authentications every day.