[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]How would you react if someone you do not know told you he has your mobile numbers, residential address, date of birth, PAN number, voter ID number, telecom operator, phone model, and Air India frequent flyer ID, bank account number, demat account details, payment history?

And, further, he goes and deposits some money in your account without your consent?

A normal person would be rattled. But, apparently, RS Sharma, the outgoing Chairman of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), is made of sterner stuff.  He said no harm has been done to him.

Sharma had on Saturday made his Aadhaar number public in an open challenge to users to “do any harm to me.”

Sharma, former UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India) director general, has been an ardent supporter of the Aadhaar program, vouching for the safety of the system, and dispelling privacy concerns surrounding Aadhaar even during his current tenure as TRAI Chief.

“Data privacy is a big and very important issue in a digital world. I am one of the most vociferous supporter of that. However, the only thing I am saying is that Aadhaar does not violate privacy,” Sharma had tweeted Saturday.

In an interview to ThePrint, he said, “Tell me what harm can you do to me if you have my Aadhaar details? I will give you my Aadhaar number if you like.”

This provoked a reaction from Twitterati. One @kingslyj tweeted: “Walk your talk @rssharma3! Publish your Aadhaar details to the public if you have so much trust in this 13ft wall secured system.”

Sharma responded. “My Aadhaar number is 762177682740. Now I give this challenge to you: Show me one concrete example where you can do any harm to me!” he tweeted.

Soon many dug out various personal details about Sharma. On Sunday, ethical hackers – including Elliot Alderson, Pushpendra Singh, Kanishk Sajnani, Anivar Arvind, and Karan Saini – pointed out that nearly 14 items had been leaked so far, reported The Times of India (TOI). These included Sharma’s mobile numbers, residential address, date of birth, PAN number, voter ID number, telecom operator, phone model, and Air India frequent flyer ID.

They also claimed to have his bank account number and IFSC code for five other accounts – in PNB, Bank of India, SBI (joint account), Kotak Mahindra and ICICI Bank.

Anivar Aravind and a few others also sent Re 1 to his Bank of India account via Aadhaar-Enabled Payment Service (AEPS) like PayTM and Bhim. Twitter users cautioned the chairman that the ability to send money to him without his consent could expose him to blackmail, money laundering and other dangers.

Hackers also posted his demat account details, his payment history for a three-year subscription to a right-wing website with his SBI debit card, usage of Aadhaar card for sale of organic goods by Leela Dhar Organics of Hari Sewak Sharma on July 2, 2018, said the TOI report.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1532949461734{border-top-width: 10px !important;border-right-width: 10px !important;border-bottom-width: 10px !important;border-left-width: 10px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;background-color: #cecece !important;border-radius: 10px !important;}”]Elliot Alderson who describes himself as a French security researcher, dug up Sharma’s phone number, date of birth (DOB), and address. “People managed to get your personal address, dob and your alternate phone number. I stop here, I hope you will understand why make your #Aadhaar number public is not a good idea,” Alderson tweeted.

The phone number linked to this #Aadhaar number is 9958587977 https://t.co/ijlxGBBl4Z

— Elliot Alderson (@fs0c131y) July 28, 2018

Alderson put Sharma’s PAN on Twitter but blackened the number itself.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Many on Twitter claimed victory over ‘leaking’ Sharma’s personal details post the challenge.

Another Twitter user under the pseudonym Dean of #JioInstitute claimed to have accessed Sharma’s frequent flyer number with Air India.

@rssharma3 ‘s another email ID: [email protected]
both gmail ID and yahoo ID are connected to each other.

Security question of gmail: Frequent Flyer Number which is Air India’s Frequent Flyer number(103546250) – Which I got from Air India. I used your basic info for that pic.twitter.com/6HSr8U6nqz

— Dean of #JioInstitute (@DeanOfJio) July 28, 2018

But the TRAI chief asserted that the challenge had never been about phone numbers and other information, but for causing harm using knowledge of his Aadhaar number.

Unique Identity Authority of India (UIDAI) however refuted all claims about accessing Ram Sewak Sharma’s personal details and asserted that the personal details of Trai chief R S Sharma being put out on Twitter are not from the Aadhaar database or its servers, and that “so called hacked information” is easily available with a simple search on Google and other sites, without using the 12-digit unique identity number.

They boasted that they had got Shri Sharma’s aforesaid personal details by hacking Aadhaar database. This so-called claim, UIDAI said, is a farce and people should not believe such fraudulent elements active on social and other media. 7/n

— Aadhaar (@UIDAI) July 29, 2018

It was after this that people sent on Twitter screenshots of sending Re 1 to Sharma via the AEPS. The hackers also claimed to have his bank account number and the IFSC code to five of his other accounts in Punjab National Bank, State Bank of India (joint account), Bank of India, ICICI and Kotak Mahindra.

To the challenge to cause harm, some warned hackers against it as it could land them in trouble. Others also pointed out that Sharma’s challenge to cause harm amounted to abetment of crime, while the act of disclosing his Aadhaar number was also a violation of law and he was liable for prosecution.

The drama played out on Twitter a day after Justice Srikrishna committee came out with its report on data protection where it mooted changes in the Aadhaar Act and proposed new safeguards to protect information of Aadhaar holders.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]