The importance of keeping personally identifiable information safe

Subject: Science and tech

Section: Awareness in IT & Computers

Context:

Recently, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs fixed a critical vulnerability in its online portal months after a cybersecurity researcher reported it to the Computer Emergency Response Team of India (CERTIn).
The vulnerability reportedly exposed personal details like Aadhaar, PAN, voter identity, passport, date of birth, contact number and address of more than 98 lakh directors of Indian companies.

About Personally Identifiable Information

Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is any data or information maintained by an organisation or agency that can potentially be used to identify a specific individual.
This could include information such as Aadhaar, PAN, voter identity, passport, date of birth, contact number, communication address, and biometric information.

Difference between sensitive and non-sensitive PII

Sensitive PII, when exposed, can be used to identify individuals and potentially cause harm. Some of the most important components that constitute sensitive PII are stored by employers, government organisations, banks, and other digital accounts used by individuals.
Non-Sensitive PII is publicly available information and can be stored and transmitted unencrypted. This includes information such as zip code, race, gender, and religion.

What are the risks of PII exposure?

Threat actors can gain access to exposed PII and misuse it to launch targeted attacks on individuals.
These attacks could range from phishing attacks with messages curated with PII information, to fraudulently opening bank accounts, and siphoning funds from accounts allotted to beneficiaries of government welfare programmes.
Attackers may also use such information to obtain cellular connections, credit cards, and compromise the security of an individual’s digital accounts.

How can one protect PII?

Looking for HTTPS in URLs when visiting unknown websites. The “S” stands for secure and is used by legitimate websites to secure collected information from unsecured connections.
Some browsers may also use a lock symbol in the URL bar to signify that a website is secure.
Using a VPN when accessing sensitive information using public networks. A VPN helps protect PII and other vital data by securing your online connection from prying eyes on public networks.
Keeping a tab on PII like Aadhaar, passport, PAN, Voter ID, and other important proofs of identity.
By avoiding sharing or accessing images or details of identity documents through unknown devices.
By avoiding sharing personal information on social media platforms.
Keeping a tab on bank account transactions, credit cards, and credit score; a hit in the score could mean your PII has been misused to procure credit cards in your name.