07 December 2023

Massive CoWIN data breach exposes personal data of users and putting over 1 billion at risk

According to a report dated June 12, 2023, a data breach of the CoWIN portal, India's central COVID-19 vaccination registration platform, has put the personal data of Indian citizens at risk.

The personal information of every Indian citizen registered on the CoWIN portal has been made available on the Telegram messaging application. The data leak exposes ID card numbers used for vaccination, as well as details such as gender, year of birth and name of vaccination center. The Aadhaar card, voter card and PAN card numbers of thousands of Indian citizens were also exposed.

The Cyber Express team contacted the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to confirm the CoWIN data breach, but no official response was received.

Personal information of several political leaders was also exposed.

This attack will have a significant impact. This data breach jeopardizes the confidentiality and security of Indian citizens' personal information. Possible consequences include the risk of identity theft, financial fraud and other forms of malicious exploitation. In addition, the disclosure of Aadhaar card, voter card and PAN card numbers may compromise the privacy of the individuals concerned.