UIDAI allows you to lock your Aadhaar data and you should do it

Highlights:
1. The newly introduced lock and unlock facility of Aadhaar is purely voluntary

2. If a person wants to lock his data, he or she can do it. No other person can unlock it and one can keep it locked as long as one wishes

3. Once the Aadhaar data is locked, even banks cannot access the biometric information stored in the main server

To protect Aadhaar users from misuse of their bank account information, the UIDAI has introduced a new security feature wherein people can lock and unlock their biometric details, The Times of India reported.

The officials of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) have introduced the lock and unlock facility following an uproar that Aadhaar deprived people of their right to privacy.

Biometric data of citizens is being collected on various platforms for government schemes, often without much safeguards, cited the news report.

Aadhaar identification has become almost compulsory in some cases. Banks, mobile phone operators and others have access to it.

"People can hack into this data and access individuals' details, including bank accounts," the report said quoting an UIDAI official, as saying.

ALSO READ: New encryption key in Aadhaar authentication devices from June

"Each time you shop and pay using your fingerprint, the data processed by POS machines can be hacked. Fingerprint details can be captured as well," the official said.

The newly introduced lock and unlock facility is purely voluntary.

"If a person wants to lock his data, he or she can do it. No other person can unlock it. One can keep it locked as long as one wishes," the official said.

Once the Aadhaar data is locked, even banks cannot access the biometric information stored in the main server.

According to the report, this will lead to failed transactions due to non-verification or non-authentication of the Aadhaar.

The UIDAI is also planning to introduce a mobile application to lock and unlock biometric data, it added.