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EPFO shuts Aadhaar seeding portal after IB alert on data breach

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EPFO shuts Aadhaar seeding portal after IB alert on data breach

A joke doing the rounds says that according to Modi government, everything from Defence Ministry website to the most sophisticated computer can be hacked, but not EVMs or Aadhaar data.

That in fact sums up the response of the government and the joke has frequently been on the people with repeated reports of Aadhaar data breach.

This time, confidential data on subscribers of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) was found to have been stolen by hackers. The EPFO had to shut down the portal that was used to seed Aadhaar details with PF accounts.

The matter came to light when a letter from EPFO Central Provident Fund Commissioner VP Joy surfaced on Twitter.

According to a letter, which Joy wrote to Dinesh Tyagi, CEO of Common Service Centre (CSC) which managed the EPFO website with the data, Intelligence Bureau (IB) had informed the labour ministry in March about the data theft from the aadhaar.epfoservices.com website that helps link the Aadhaar numbers of subscribers with their EPF account numbers.

The website had subscribers data related to their Aadhaar number, Permanent Account Number or PAN, personal family and salary details.

“It has been intimated that the data has been stolen by hackers by exploiting the vulnerabilities prevailing in the website (aadhaar.epfoservices.com) of EPFO,” Joy wrote in the letter to Tyagi, according to LiveMint.

The letter said that the IB has advised adhering to “best practices and guidelines for securing the confidential data, re-emphasising regular and meaningful audit and vulnerability assessment and penetration testing of the entire system from competent auditors and testers stated.”

“The web portal has been closed one-and-a-half months ago, immediately after a possible data theft was reported to us during a process of routine security check,” Joy told Business Standard Wednesday, May 2.

“There was some problem in the application run by CSC and it is not related to our data centre that maintains the EPF accounts.”

After the scare over the reported breach, the EPFO on Wednesday, May 3 said in a statement, “No confirmed data leakage has been established or observed so far. As part of the data security and protection, EPFO has taken advance action by closing the server and host service through Common Service Centres pending vulnerability checks.”

However, Joy was reported as saying in an interview, “I don’t know how my letter got leaked. We shall find out,” according to LiveMint. He said EPFO has “taken care of the vulnerabilities and soon after it was warned about the vulnerability of data it stopped availing services of the CSC.”

The UIDAI also said that the breach wasn’t from its server.

However, the government sources have now confirmed that details of PF accounts were compromised for “a few weeks,” before it was detected and the portal was taken down, reported the Huff Post.

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Mohanlal’s Stephen returns in fearsome form in L2: Empuraan Teaser

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Mohanlal as Stephen Nedumpally in the teaser of L2: Empuraan

The much-anticipated teaser for L2: Empuraan, the second chapter of the planned trilogy directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran, has been unveiled, offering a glimpse of a darker, more brutal narrative. Starring Malayalam cinema legend Mohanlal, the film continues the story of Stephen Nedumpally, also known as Khureshi Ab’raam, a character that mesmerized audiences in Lucifer.

The teaser debuted at a grand event attended by the film’s key players, including Mohanlal, Prithviraj, and Mammootty, who released the teaser in style. Clocking in at 143 seconds, the preview immediately sets a grim tone, beginning in Qaraqosh, a war-torn town in Iraq. The atmosphere is tense, underscored by the chilling phrase, “Death to the Evil.”

One of the standout moments in the teaser recalls PK Ramdas (Sachin Khedekar) advising Priyadarshini (Manju Warrier) in the first film: “If one day you feel everything is falling apart and I’m not around, the only person you can turn to is Stephen.” This sentiment reverberates through the teaser as it shifts to Stephen’s iconic black Ambassador car, now layered with dust—an ominous sign of his long absence.

The suspense builds as a voice declares, “He leads the most powerful mercenary group in Asia,” introducing audiences to Stephen’s transformation into a figure commanding immense influence and fear. The teaser’s climactic moments highlight Mohanlal’s commanding return as Khureshi Ab’raam, warning of the perils of dealing with the devil.

Star-Studded Cast and Stellar Crew

Joining Mohanlal in this cinematic spectacle are Manju Warrier, Indrajith Sukumaran, Tovino Thomas, and others reprising their roles from Lucifer. The film also features Saniya Iyappan, Saikumar, Baiju Santhosh, Fazil, and Sachin Khedekar in key roles.

The story, penned by Murali Gopy, is brought to life with the expertise of cinematographer Sujith Vaassudev, editor Akhilesh Mohan, and composer Deepak Dev, whose score amplifies the teaser’s intensity.

As the teaser hints at power struggles, deceit, and vengeance, L2: Empuraan sets the stage for an explosive continuation of this gripping saga, leaving fans eagerly awaiting its release.

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MSBTE Result 2025 declared: Maharashtra diploma winter exam results now available online

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MSBTE Result 2025 announcement for Winter Diploma exams

The Maharashtra State Board of Technical Education (MSBTE) has officially announced the results for the Winter 2024 diploma exams. Students who appeared for these exams, held in December 2024, can now access their results on MSBTE’s official website, msbte.org.in.

To check the MSBTE Winter Exam Result 2025, candidates must have their enrollment or seat numbers ready. The results are accessible via a direct link available on the website.

Steps to check MSBTE 2025 results:

  1. Visit the official MSBTE website: msbte.org.in.
  2. Navigate to the “Examination” section and click on “Winter 2024 Exam Result.”
  3. Enter your enrollment number or seat number in the required fields.
  4. Click on the “Show Result” button to view your marksheet.
  5. Download and save the PDF for future reference.

Details mentioned on the MSBTE Winter Diploma results:

The MSBTE Winter Diploma Marksheet 2025 includes the following information:

  • Student’s name
  • Register number
  • Course name
  • Marks obtained in each subject
  • Subject codes and names
  • Total marks
  • Maximum marks
  • Result status (Pass/Fail)

The announcement is crucial for diploma students across Maharashtra as it determines their academic progress and eligibility for future courses or career opportunities.

Students are advised to verify all details on their marksheets and contact the board in case of discrepancies. For further updates, visit the official MSBTE website.

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JPC clears Waqf Amendment Bill with 14 changes, Opposition cries foul

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The Waqf Amendment Bill is poised for a final vote on January 29 in the Joint Parliamentary Committee. The committee had been tasked with reviewing the bill by November 29, which was then extended to February 13, approved 14 changes to the draft. The 44 amendments proposed by the Opposition were rejected by its chairman BJP MP Jagadambika Pal.

The Opposition had accused the BJP of bias in several sittings of the committee leading to the suspension of several MPs, including Kalyan Banerjee of Trinamool Congress and Asaduddin Owaisi of the AIMIM, both vocal critics of the Bill.

The Opposition MPs had also written to Speaker Om Birla against Pal, saying he was rushing the Bill to gain political mileage ahead of the Delhi Assembly election due to be held on February 5.

Earlier, reports had said Banerjee had broken a glass during a verbal altercation while in deliberations with BJP MP and former Calcutta HC judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay.

The Bill aims to reform Waqf Board administration, mandating the inclusion of non-Muslim and women members. The Central Waqf Council’s composition would also change, incorporating a Union minister, MPs, ex-judges, and individuals of national repute, regardless of religious affiliation. Crucially, the Council’s land acquisition powers would be removed. A controversial clause restricts donations to Muslims practicing their faith for at least five years, prompting concerns about religious freedom.

While proponents claim the bill empowers Muslim women and children, critics, including the Congress and the DMK, allege it infringes upon Articles 15 and 30 of the Constitution, which guarantee freedom of religion and the right of minorities to administer educational institutions. The final report is expected by January 31.

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