How Aadhaar virtual ID solve privacy problems

UIDAI has come out with measures to strengthen the security and privacy of aadhaar card holders, Agency has announced two plans. Let’s discuss How Aadhaar virtual ID solve privacy problems

UIDAI has introduced the virtual ID which can be used instead of AADHAAR number, secondly, UIDAI has introduced the concept of limiting KYC. To understand the use of virtual id, first, let understand how KYC works?

By using your aadhaar card does your bank or mobile operator gain access to your information? If reverse it, does UIDAI have access to your bank account?
Let understand the working of UIDAI,
when the first-time users enter their registration details that information gets stored in the UIDAI database.
for better understanding,

UIDAI has two type of database. One is used to store the user information such as name, address, phone number and the second database stores the unique information of each person in that database i.e users biometrics.
let’s take an example of validating your sim card.

suppose a person A wants to link his sim card with aadhaar card. So he goes to mobile operator office, he gives Aadhaar no. along with biometrics. These two details go to the server of UIDAI, UIDAI simply response whether the biometrics belongs to that person or not who is pretending to be the user of that aadhaar card.
UIDAI has nothing to do with your information after the verification. If you see UIDAI does not have an access to your call logs, balance, SMS etc. The only thing that happened out there is all the user which used to be the fraudulent user would get eliminated.

your service provider keeps your aadhaar information?
No, technically it is not possible there is something known as L0 encryption when you go to any kiosk to give your biometrics data it get encrypted then and there only. Also according to AAdhaar act, legally they don’t do this. Thus, Not possible for any service provider to be storing your biometric data.

How Aadhaar virtual ID solve privacy problems

now, let’s discuss the 16 digits virtual ID, that UIDAI has announced..how this makes it more secure?
If you understood, the only thing that is required out there to authenticate or to be able to make a payment through BHIM app, or to authenticate your bank account requires your adhar no. with biometrics.
Aadhaar number was in the multiple controversies over the period out there. We have seen many breaches happened in the past. According to the government, DATABASE1 which stores the general information that is not super sensitive information is not been breached but because of the several API which is connected to this, those user aadhaar card information were compromised.
But the DATABASE2 that contains the biometrics information has never been breached.

Now, what is the virtual ID all about?
You still have to give your biometrics details for same aadhaar number as this aadhaar number will be same throughout your life, so what government did? they have introduced the concept of virtual ID and this is the temporary 16 digit number.

Every time when you go to kiosk you have to give your biometrics and this virtual id. Now if again kiosk person would want to store your aadhaar no. it would not be storing your aadhaar no. it would only be storing your virtual id which automatically flushed out when you create a new virtual ID. You can create N number of virtual id.
if you see there, the first factor is eliminated that is giving your aadhaar number everywhere which were in the controversies as people says this need to be secret.

checkout how to keep your internet identity safe from hacker in 2018