Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) Chairperson Ram Sewak Sharma on Saturday shared his Aadhaar number on Twitter, challenging people to show him how their knowledge of the number could be used to harm him.
A hacker that goes by the username Elliot Alderson and whose bio reads – French Security Researcher – hacked RS Sharma’s personal details such as his PAN and mobile number using the Aadhaar number.
PAN number pic.twitter.com/yKwtT7QuCh
— Baptiste Robert (@fs0c131y) July 28, 2018
The phone number linked to this #Aadhaar number is 9958587977 https://t.co/ijlxGBBl4Z
— Baptiste Robert (@fs0c131y) July 28, 2018
Some Twitter users claimed to have dug out his mobile number, photographs, residential address, date of birth and even chat threads based on his Aadhaar number.
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 pic.twitter.com/IVrReb4xIM
— Baptiste Robert (@fs0c131y) July 28, 2018
The hacker wrote, “If your phone numbers, address, date of birth, bank accounts and other personal details are easily found on the Internet you have no privacy.” He added that he isn’t against Aadhaar but he is against those people who think Aadhaar is unhackable.
If your phone numbers, address, dob, bank accounts and others personal details are easily found on the Internet you have no #privacy. End of the story.
— Baptiste Robert (@fs0c131y) July 28, 2018
When contacted by PTI, Mr Sharma declined to make any detailed comment on the matter by saying, “Let the challenge run for some time”.
Mr Sharma himself continued to engage in the verbal duel with the Twitterati till late Saturday night.