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<ul><li><keyword id="8995296" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="aarogya-setu">Aarogya Setu</keyword> has claimed that the Coronavirus tracking app is secure, and no privacy breaches have been found.</li><li>Elliot Alderson, an ethical hacker had claimed that he had found a security issue in the app.</li></ul>French ethical hacker who goes by the fictitious name Elliot Alderson <a href="https://twitter.com/fs0c131y/status/1257689150729392135">claimed</a> that there was a security issue in Aarogya Setu, the coronavirus tracking app launched by the Indian government. In his tweet, Elliot Alderson had claimed that a security issue has been found in the <keyword id="8995298" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="aarogya-setu-app">Aarogya Setu app</keyword> and that the privacy of over 90 million Indians was at risk. Soon after this, Alderson was contacted by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) and the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In). After disclosing the issue to them, Alderson <a href="https://twitter.com/fs0c131y/status/1257709769097445388">said</a> that he would wait for the issue to be fixed before disclosing the gaps he discovered. However, the government has dismissed the claims. “No personal information of any user has been proven to be at risk by this ethical hacker. We are continuously testing and upgrading our systems. Team Aarogya Setu assures everyone that no data or security breach has been identified.” Aarogya Setu said in a <a href="https://twitter.com/SetuAarogya/status/1257755315614801921/photo/1">statement</a>. Alderson has <a href="https://twitter.com/fs0c131y/status/1257765023147085825">said</a> that he is not satisfied with Aarogya Setu’s response. Meanwhile, IT and telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/software/aarogya-data-safe-for-limited-period-prasad/articleshow/75564057.cms">said</a> that user data stored in Aarogya Setu for tracking the spread of COVID-19 will be deleted once the pandemic abates. Aarogya Setu claims there has been no privacy breach The first claim by Alderson was that the Aarogya Setu app is fetching the user’s location. To this, the Aarogya Setu team has responded that this is by design and has been mentioned in the app’s privacy policy. It further added that the user’s location information is stored on the server in a ‘secure, encrypted and anonymized manner’. Alderson also claimed that users can get the Covid-19 stats displayed on the home screen by using a script to change the radius and latitude-longitude. The team has claimed that the radius parameters are fixed and can take only one of the five specified values. While it is possible to change the latitude and longitude to get data for multiple locations, the Aarogya Setu team claims that it is not possible to make bulk calls to the API are not possible as it is behind a Web Application firewall. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/how-to/indian-government-launches-app-to-track-coronavirus-patients-called-aarogya-setu/articleshow/74949415.cms">How to download and use Aarogya Setu Coronavirus tracking app</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/coronavirus-east-delhi-district-admin-asks-rwas-to-encourage-people-to-download-aarogya-setu-app/articleshow/75184894.cms">Coronavirus: East Delhi district admin asks RWAs to encourage people to download 'Aarogya Setu' app</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/covid-19-smartphone-without-aarogya-setu-app-will-draw-punishment-for-user-in-gautam-buddh-nagar/articleshow/75540878.cms">COVID-19: Smartphone without 'Aarogya Setu' app will draw punishment for user in Gautam Buddh Nagar</a>

Aarogya Setu denies privacy breach, contradicts ethical hacker’s claims

<ul><li><keyword id="6280815" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="elliot-alderson">Elliot Alderson</keyword> has claimed that the <keyword id="8995296" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="aarogya-setu">Aarogya Setu</keyword> app allows users to find out who is sick in a particular area.</li><li>He has also contradicted the Aarogya Setu team’s claim that bulk calls to the API are not possible.</li></ul>A French ethical hacker who goes with the alias "Elliot Alderson" earlier claimed that he found security and privacy issues in India’s Covid-19 tracker app Arogya Setu. This was <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/aarogya-setu-claims-its-app-is-secure-denies-privacy-breach/articleshow/75569270.cms">denied</a> by the Aarogya Setu team and they said that the app is secure. After this, Alderson has come up with a <a href="https://medium.com/@fs0c131y/aarogya-setu-the-story-of-a-failure-3a190a18e34">post</a> highlighting the issues found by him in the Aarogya Setu app. App allows users to access internal files In April, Alderson found that the WebViewActivity allowed users to access internal files of the app by using commands as there was no host validation. However, the issue has now been fixed. Aarogya Setu allows you to find out who is sick The next issue found by Alderson is that it is possible to modify the user’s location to find out who is sick in a particular area. While the app allows users to change the radius of the area between 500m, 1km, 2km, 5km or 10km, Alderson was able to change it to 100km. He added that this flaw could allow anyone to find out who is sick in a particular area. “Thanks to this endpoint an attacker can know who is infected anywhere in India, in the area of his choice. I can know if my neighbour is sick for example. Sounds like a privacy issue for me…” said Alderson. However, local governments have been publishing information about Covid-19 patients to alert the people who may have come in contact with them, so this may not be a very big issue. Alderson claims bulk calls to the API are possible The Aarogya Setu team in its earlier response to Alderson’s claims had said that bulk calls to the API are not possible as it is behind a Web Application firewall. However, Alderson has now claimed that bulk calls are possible, and he spent an entire day sending bulk calls. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/aarogya-setu-claims-its-app-is-secure-denies-privacy-breach/articleshow/75569270.cms">Aarogya Setu denies privacy breach, contradicts ethical hacker’s claims</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/stranded-indians-landing-in-country-will-have-to-register-for-covid-19-aarogya-setu-app-mha/articleshow/75554386.cms">Stranded Indians landing in country will have to register for COVID-19 'Aarogya Setu' app: MHA</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/covid-19-smartphone-without-aarogya-setu-app-will-draw-punishment-for-user-in-gautam-buddh-nagar/articleshow/75540878.cms">COVID-19: Smartphone without 'Aarogya Setu' app will draw punishment for user in Gautam Buddh Nagar</a>

These are the privacy issues in Aarogya Setu, India's Covid-19 tracker app, alleged by French hacker Elliot Alderson

<ul><li>The Indian government has announced a ₹3 lakh bounty for anyone who can find a vulnerability with its COVID-19 tracking app, <keyword id="8995296" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="aarogya-setu">Aarogya Setu</keyword>. </li><li>You can also win a reward of ₹1 lakh if you make a valid suggestion for how the app can be improved. </li><li>Aarogya Setu’s open-source code is up for analysis on GitHub for developers to grab — and it’s a way for the government to lay to rest any privacy concerns that people may have. </li></ul>There’s a ₹1 lakh reward up for grabs for anyone who can find a valid way to improve the Indian government’s COVID-19 tracking app, Aarogya Setu. Another ₹3 lakh is up for grabs if someone can point out a security vulnerability. The government wants to lay to rest any acquisitions or claims about how the data its take from users’ phone can be misappropriated. The open-source code for the contact tracing app has been released on Github and developers are being encouraged to track down any loopholes that they can find — something that many privacy activists have been advocating ever since Aarogya Setu made its way into the limelight. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="76011848" title="Amid privacy concerns, Centre makes Aarogya Setu app open source" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> The ‘bug bounty’ programme is open to Indians as well as foreign nationals. However, only Indians are eligible to claim the money reward offered under the scheme. “This is a unique thing to be done. No other government product anywhere in the world has been open-sourced at this scale,” announced Amitabh Kant, chief executive of NITI Aayog. The government has also promised that any updates to the app will also be made open-source through the same repository. The question of privacy The Indian government’s COVID-19 tracking app has repeatedly been under the lens during the lockdown. With Aarogya Setu asking for permission to access users’ data, people are concerned that they may be offering up more than they had bargained for — especially since the government of India made it mandatory for everyone to have it on their phones. “You want to make sure that you have the right protection in your application and that equitable data is being collected. It opens up the doors for attackers. From a government’s perspective, you want to make sure that the agencies are taking the right protection,” Yuval Wollman, the President of Cyberproof and former Director-General of Israeli Intelligence told Business Insider. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="75569270" title="Aarogya Setu denies privacy breach, contradicts ethical hacker’s claims" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> Aarogya Setu has had a tough go of it ever since Twitter’s famed Elliot Alderson — real name, Robert Baptiste — pointed out that there is a security issue with the app earlier this month. “The privacy of 90 million Indians is at stake,” he wrote. The makers of Aarogya Setu hit back saying, “No personal information of any user has been proven to be at risk by this ethical hacker. We are continuously testing and upgrading our systems.” “Developing countries, with their limited budgets and resources, need to consider the costs versus the outcomes in tracing exposed individuals in a privacy preserving way,” said <a href="https://medium.com/@rameshboston/going-open-source-for-aarogya-setu-will-help-covid19-efforts-and-drive-innovation-58f97042367c">Ramesh Raskar</a>, an MIT Media Lab professor. According to him, an app like Aarogya Setu runs the risk of exposing private data, which is especially risky considering the large data stores that a population like India has up for grabs. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/experts-explain-the-legal-and-moral-pitfalls-in-aarogya-setu-app-despite-the-governments-insistence-that-a-protocol-has-been-put-in-place/articleshow/75690239.cms">Experts explain the legal and moral pitfalls in Aarogya Setu app ⁠— despite the government’s insistence that a protocol has been put in place</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/amid-privacy-concerns-centre-makes-aarogya-setu-app-open-source/articleshow/76011848.cms">Amid privacy concerns, Centre makes Aarogya Setu app open source</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/govt-likely-to-make-aarogya-setu-app-mandatory-for-flyers-post-lockdown/articleshow/75680125.cms">Govt likely to make Aarogya Setu app mandatory for flyers post lockdown</a>

Hacking Aarogya Setu can win you ₹1 lakh to ₹3 lakh through the Indian government’s ‘bug bounty’ programme

<ul><li>The platform, called Exposure Notification system, will allow public health authorities to build COVID-19 contact tracing apps without violating <keyword id="1491669" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="User-privacy">user privacy</keyword>. </li><li>So far, 23 countries have requested access to this system. <keyword id="6354427" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="apple">Apple</keyword> and <keyword id="6355629" type="DEFINITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="google">Google</keyword> hope that more countries will join soon. </li><li>In India, privacy activists have raised concerns about privacy breaches in the Aarogya Setu app. Adoption of this API could help address those concerns. </li></ul>Apple and Google have come together to launch COVID-19 contact tracing platform called Exposure Notification API. This will allow public health authorities around the world to launch COVID-19 contact tracing apps, allowing them to trace infected people while ensuring their privacy is not compromised. “Starting today, our Exposure Notifications technology is available to public health agencies on both iOS and Android. What we’ve built is not an app—rather public health agencies will incorporate the API into their own apps that people install,” Apple and Google <a href="https://blog.google/inside-google/company-announcements/apple-google-exposure-notification-api-launches/">said</a> in a joint statement. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="75690239" title="Experts explain the legal and moral pitfalls in Aarogya Setu app ⁠— despite the government’s insistence that a protocol has been put in place" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> Public health authorities can use this system and build apps for their local population. So far, authorities in 23 countries have requested access to this application programming interface (API). “Each user gets to decide whether or not to opt-in to Exposure Notifications; the system does not collect or use location from the device; and if a person is diagnosed with COVID-19, it is up to them whether or not to report that in the public health app,” the two companies further added, addressing privacy concerns that some people may have. India’s stance on this API could help it address the concerns of privacy activists Privacy activists have voiced their concern about the Indian government’s data collection practices in the Aarogya Setu app. “You want this surveillance to follow civilians without being monitored by the Parliament. You are shifting surveillance from counterterrorism to civilians. This shift must be routinely monitored, audited and supervised by the other institutions in the democratic regime,” Yuval Wollman, President, CyberProof, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/experts-explain-the-legal-and-moral-pitfalls-in-aarogya-setu-app-despite-the-governments-insistence-that-a-protocol-has-been-put-in-place/articleshow/75690239.cms">told</a> Business Insider. The Indian government has mandated the use of Aarogya Setu for all employees, whether in the public or the private sector. In addition to this, travellers, delivery executives, people living in containment zones and more have been <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/stranded-indians-landing-in-country-will-have-to-register-for-covid-19-aarogya-setu-app-mha/articleshow/75554386.cms">asked to download</a> and use Aarogya Setu compulsorily. If the Indian government shifts away from collecting data via its app, and relies on Apple and Google’s Exposure Notification system, it could address the concerns raised by privacy activists. Privacy activists point out privacy breaches in the app Earlier this month, French ethical hacker who goes by the name Elliot Alderson <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/these-are-the-privacy-issues-in-aarogya-setu-indias-covid-19-tracker-app-alleged-by-french-hacker-elliot-alderson/articleshow/75592800.cms">alleged a privacy breach</a> in the app. He posted his findings online and said that the Aarogya Setu app can be used to find out who is sick in a particular area. Apart from this, the app could also be tricked into allowing access to internal files on the user’s phone. This issue was fixed subsequently by the app’s developers. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/these-are-the-privacy-issues-in-aarogya-setu-indias-covid-19-tracker-app-alleged-by-french-hacker-elliot-alderson/articleshow/75592800.cms">These are the privacy issues in Aarogya Setu, India's Covid-19 tracker app, alleged by French hacker Elliot Alderson</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/aarogya-setu-claims-its-app-is-secure-denies-privacy-breach/articleshow/75569270.cms">Aarogya Setu denies privacy breach, contradicts ethical hacker’s claims</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/how-to/indian-government-launches-app-to-track-coronavirus-patients-called-aarogya-setu/articleshow/74949415.cms">How to download and use Aarogya Setu Coronavirus tracking app</a>

Apple and Google offer Indian authorities their new COVID-19 contact tracing platform

New Delhi, Apr 16 () Steel PSUs are taking all possible measures to create awareness about combating the spread of Covid-19 in the country, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Thursday.His remarks came in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appreciation for SAIL's effort in encouraging use of Aarogya Setu App among citizens. The App educates citizens on steps to contain the spread of Covid-19 pandemic. "I thank PM @narendramodi for appreciating SAIL for its efforts to popularise Aarogya Setu App. Our PSUs are taking all efforts to contribute to India's fight against Covid19 by maintaining essential supplies, providing food to the needy, enhancing awareness and many such initiatives," steel minister Pradhan said in a tweet. Appreciating SAIL's steps, Modi had said in a tweet that organisations could play a vital role in popularising Aarogya Setu and ensuring more people download it. Echoing similar views, Pradhan said the PSUs as part of efforts to contain covid spread are creating awareness and maintaining supply of essential items. In a video conference with the CMDs of steel PSUs held recently, Pradhan directed them to adopt Annadaan Scheme to provide food to migrants and promote usage of the Aarogya App to contain covid spread. ABI ANUANU

Steel PSUs taking necessary steps to contain covid spread: Pradhan         

Prashant Kumar who lives in Noida sector 143 often goes to a nearby mall-cum-office complex with his family for some quick bites or gets a bank job done. The complex does not allow anyone without checking the Covid status on Aarogya Setu app on the visitors' smartphones, along with the mandatory thermal temperature screening. <keyword id="9999872" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="whenever-kumar">Whenever Kumar</keyword> plans a visit to the complex, he updates the <keyword id="7313056" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Contact-tracing">contact tracing</keyword> app on his smartphone as well as the devices with his family members, filling the self-assessment form by just ticking all the boxes with "none of the above' symptoms. And the app declares them "safe". As cities get unlocked and people begin to visit markets, eating joints, malls and other public places, this attitude is worrisome as this does not paint the real picture, especially if someone who is an asymptomatic Covid patient visits public places even with the 'safe' app tag on. "I only update the app while visiting the complex and leave it without any use for days. It surprises me that it is so easy to just fill in wrong details and enter wherever you want with the 'you are safe' tag," Kumar told IANS. Kumar said he has even seen people who are not aware of the Aarogya Setu app, downloading it right in front of the complex, filling the self-assessment form quickly with 'None of the Above' symptoms and entering the premises, only to remove the app later. According to latest data from app intelligence company Sensor Tower, Aarogya Setu downloads have decreased significantly in the country, as much as 90 per cent less last month compared to April when it was launched with much fanfare. As Delhi Metro resumed services after more than five months due to Covid-19 restrictions, officials in some stations, including Noida Sector 16, were seen trying to block entry of people into the station for not having "Aarogya Setu" app on their mobile phones during the initial trial phase. This despite the fact that in the new travel protocol for passengers published by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on September 3, it mentioned that "the use of 'Aarogya Setu App' for updating health status by passengers will be advisable." However, as the services gathered full steam, passengers have hardly reported facing any questions about having the app on the smartphones. The decision of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) to make Aarogya Setu mandatory for metro commuters was brought to Karnataka High Court's notice this month after legal services organisation SFLC.IN's <keyword id="61253" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="advisory-board">advisory board</keyword> member Anivar A. Aravind filed a petition challenging the voluntary-mandatory nature of Aarogya Setu and invasion of privacy rights in the absence of a specific legislation governing data collected by it. Meanwhile, security guards at several outlets in shopping malls across the country are allowing entry only after visitors show they have the app downloaded on their mobile phones. A similar experience was reported by Aasheesh when he tried to visit a Lifestyle outlet at the City Centre Mall at Sector 10, Rohini in New Delhi. Visitors to government offices have also reported that they were allowed to enter the offices only after downloading the app. However, the biggest question is: Is it worthwhile to track people with Covid? "Several people in my localities have stopped using the app or removed it altogether as it at times creates panic, in case if the person was near a Covid-19 patient. The lack of proper guidance and right messaging, people have started to shun the app, including me," Nidhi Dixit from West Delhi told IANS. Aarogya Setu was developed by the <keyword id="6373306" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="national-informatics-centre">National Informatics Centre</keyword> under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) as the country's Bluetooth-based contact tracing app, with an objective of mapping of likely hotspots and dissemination of relevant information about Covid-19. The app utilises the data provided by users, to track if you may have come in close contact with a Covid-positive person via Bluetooth and location generated social graphs. It uses contact tracing to record details of all the people you may have come in contact with during normal activities. The app also consists of features such as the Self-Assessment Test, a complete list of helpline numbers across the country, and a Twitter feed that displays all the latest tweets from <keyword id="9195433" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="the-ministry-of-health">the Ministry of Health</keyword>. <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/news/ril-and-amazon-are-looking-at-indias-18-billion-online-grocery-market-to-be-their-next-battleground/articleshow/78314485.cms">RIL and Amazon are looking at India's $18 billion online grocery market to be their next battleground</a>

Aarogya Setu downloads drop 90% since April

<ul><li>The Indian government launched the <keyword id="8995296" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="aarogya-setu">Aarogya Setu</keyword> app to help users stay safe from the Coronavirus pandemic.</li><li>The app uses your location data and Bluetooth information to ascertain if you’ve been in close proximity with a Coronavirus patient.</li><li>The Aarogya Setu app is available for both Android and iOS users.</li></ul>Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his speech on April 14 urged the people to download the Aarogya Setu app that will help you stay safe during the Coronavirus pandemic. The app developed by the National Informatics Centre is available for both Android and iOS devices and supports 11 languages at the moment, including English and Hindi. The app’s description says that it is aimed at ‘augmenting initiatives of government’ to ‘proactively’ inform citizens about the ‘best practices and relevant advisories pertaining to the containment of COVID-19’. The app uses your location data and Bluetooth information to alert you if you have crossed paths with someone who has tested positive for Coronavirus. In addition to alerting you about this, the app will also provide you with instructions on how to self-isolate and what to do if you develop any symptoms. For this how to, we have installed the Aarogya Setu app on the OnePlus 7. <div type="Video" msid="75177387" hostid="261" title="How to download and use Aarogya Setu Coroanvirus tracking app" thumbUrl="https://denmark.timesinternet.in/cmslite/api/app/images.jpg?msid=75177387"></div> How to use the Aarogya Setu app <div type="image" title="Aarogya Setu 1" msid="74949383" hostid="261"></div> <ul><li>Download the Aarogya Setup app for <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nic.goi.aarogyasetu">Android</a> and <a href="https://apps.apple.com/in/app/aarogyasetu/id1505825357">iOS</a> and provide its location and Bluetooth permission. </li><li>Select your desired language and click on ‘Next’ </li><li>Now, enter your mobile number and click on ‘Submit’. </li><li>You will get an OTP, enter the OTP to proceed. </li><li>Now, it will ask your personal details such as your gender, full name, age, profession and the countries that you have travelled to in the last 3 days.</li></ul> <div type="image" title="Aarogya Setu 2" msid="74949389" hostid="261"></div> <ul><li>Based on this information and your location data, the app will show the risk level for you.</li><li>The app also includes a self-assessment section that allows you to determine the level of risk to you by answering some questions.</li><li>It also provides you the phone numbers for Coronavirus help centers across the country.</li><li>Users can also use the app to get more information about Coronavirus, do’s and don’ts and safety measures against Coronavirus.</li></ul>See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/mba-students-built-a-game-bhag-corona-where-pm-modi-shoots-vaccines-at-coronavirus/articleshow/74943559.cms">These MBA students built a game – Bhag Corona where PM Modi shoots vaccines at coronavirus</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/how-to-avail-three-month-moratorium-for-sbi-emi-and-credit-cards/articleshow/74945199.cms">How to avail three-month moratorium for SBI EMI and credit cards</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/how-to-avail-three-month-moratorium-for-icici-bank-emi-and-credit-cards/articleshow/74941936.cms">How to avail three-month moratorium for ICICI Bank EMI and credit cards</a>

How to download and use Aarogya Setu Coronavirus tracking app

<ul><li>Three departments of the Indian government have been issued a show-cause notice to explain the development of India’s contact tracing app — <keyword id="8995296" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="aarogya-setu">Aarogya Setu</keyword>. </li><li>The <keyword id="6373306" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="national-informatics-centre">National Informatics Centre</keyword> (NIC), the <keyword id="3428254" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="ministry-of-electronics-and-information-technology">Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology</keyword> (MeitY), and the National e-Governance Division (NeGD) have been asked to appear before the bench on November 24 by the Central Information Commission (CIC).</li><li>The NIC, in particular, as the app’s developer needs to explain how Aarogya Setu was created. </li></ul> India’s contact tracing app Aarogya Setu, which boasts of over 162 million downloads, is caught in the crosshairs of controversy again — this time over its origin story. A petition was filed by Saurav Das with the Central Information Commission (CIC) when three bodies within the government refused to answer Right to Information (RTI) requests asking about the creation of Aarogya Setu. “It is surprising that the National Informatics Centre (NIC) doesn’t have any information about Aarogya Setu since it is the app’s developer,” said the petition. The CIC, India’s transparency watchdog, has now served a show-cause notice to the three bodies — NIC, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), and the National e-Governance Division (NeGD) — to explain their role in the development of Aarogya Setu within the next two months. NIC, in particular, needs to explain how the <keyword id="8995298" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="aarogya-setu-app">Aarogya Setu app</keyword> was created. "None of the CPIOs were able to explain anything regarding who created the App, where are the files — and the same is extremely preposterous", said the CIC interim order. Central Public Information Officers (CPIOs) of the departments have also been asked to appear before the bench on November 24 to explain why they should not be penalised under Section 20 of the RTI Act for obstruction of information. A copy of any and all supporting documents that may be relevant to the hearing should be submitted five days prior to the hearing. The government has issued a clarification stating, "Aarogya Setu was developed in a transparent manner in collaboration with industry and academia." <div type="twitter" handle="SetuAarogya" handlename="Aarogya Setu" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1246377580594266113/wMJonS1Z_normal.jpg" favoritecount="149" retweetcount="37" status="Clarification issued on Aarogya Setu App. Aarogya Setu App is a product of Government of India built in collaborati… https://t.co/8YUSBVAnSd" createdat="1603891530000" id="1321442970424410112"></div> Other troubling signs around Aarogya Setu French security researcher Robert Baptiste, who goes by Elliot Alderson on Twitter, first claimed that the Aarogya Setu app showed <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/these-are-the-privacy-issues-in-aarogya-setu-indias-covid-19-tracker-app-alleged-by-french-hacker-elliot-alderson/articleshow/75592800.cms">security flaws</a> back in May. At the time, the government thanked him for his concern but <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/aarogya-setu-claims-its-app-is-secure-denies-privacy-breach/articleshow/75569270.cms">dismissed the accusations</a>. They asserted that tracking the location of users is a documented feature of the app, not a flaw. As the reins around the app tightened, former Supreme Court judge Justice BN Srikrishna called the government’s move to make Aarogya Setu <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/covid-19-smartphone-without-aarogya-setu-app-will-draw-punishment-for-user-in-gautam-buddh-nagar/articleshow/75540878.cms">mandatory</a> for all citizens ‘<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/experts-explain-the-legal-and-moral-pitfalls-in-aarogya-setu-app-despite-the-governments-insistence-that-a-protocol-has-been-put-in-place/articleshow/75690239.cms">utterly illegal</a>.’ Another analysis by the renowned <a href="https://www.deccanchronicle.com/technology/in-other-news/270520/after-mit-tech-review-downgrades-aarogya-setu-rating-source-code-for.html">MIT Technology Review</a> gave Aargoya Setu only 2 out of 5 stars in its analysis of 25 contact tracing apps around the world. It highlighted that India is the only democracy that is making such an app mandatory. The rating was later <a href="https://www.deccanchronicle.com/technology/in-other-news/270520/after-mit-tech-review-downgrades-aarogya-setu-rating-source-code-for.html">further chopped</a> to just one star when the researchers discovered that the app was collecting more information than it needed to function. It was only after the review that MietY <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/amid-privacy-concerns-centre-makes-aarogya-setu-app-open-source/articleshow/76011848.cms">released Aarogya Setu’s source code</a> on GitHub and initiated a ‘<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/hacking-aarogya-setu-can-win-you-1-lakh-to-3-lakh-through-the-indian-governments-bug-bounty-programme/articleshow/76030048.cms">bug bounty program</a>’ for anyone who could find an issue with the app. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/building-blocks-of-life-discovered-in-titans-atmosphere-nasa-discovers-a-weird-molecule-on-saturns-largest-moon/articleshow/78909286.cms">Building blocks of life discovered in Titan’s atmosphere — NASA discovers a ‘weird’ molecule on Saturn’s largest moon</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/ajay-piramal-believes-that-if-banks-wont-lend-to-long-term-projects-india-will-need-to-revive-the-likes-of-idbi-and-ifci/articleshow/78906135.cms">EXCLUSIVE: Ajay Piramal believes that if banks won't lend to long-term projects, India will need to revive the likes of IDBI and IFCI</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/apophis-the-god-of-chaos-asteroid-is-speeding-up-increasing-the-likelihood-of-it-hitting-earth-in-2068/articleshow/78895818.cms">Apophis, the ‘God of Chaos’ asteroid is speeding up — increasing the likelihood of it hitting Earth in 2068</a>

India's contact tracing app Aarogya Setu comes under the scanner again — three departments fail to explain their role in its development

<ul><li>The Indian government has laid down the protocol for data collection in the <keyword id="8995296" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="aarogya-setu">Aarogya Setu</keyword> app, after it came under fire from experts and opposition parties.</li><li>According to the protocol, any data obtained through the Aarogya Setu app shall be anonymised, and it shall be permanently deleted after 180 days of collection.</li><li>However, experts suggest that the data collected should be routinely audited, monitored and supervised by other institutions, such as the Indian Parliament.</li></ul>India’s IT Ministry has passed an order to lay down the protocol for data collection in the Aarogya Setu app. However, security experts are of the opinion that these data collection practises should be monitored by the Indian Parliament. The order was passed on Monday, stating that the National Informatics Centre (NIC), the developer of the application, shall collect only such response data which is necessary and proportionate to formulate or implement appropriate health responses. Further, such data shall be used strictly for the purpose of formulating or implementing appropriate health responses and constantly improving such responses. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="75592800" title="These are the privacy issues in Aarogya Setu, India's Covid-19 tracker app, alleged by French hacker Elliot Alderson" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> However, experts think data collected using the Aarogya Setu app needs to be routinely audited, monitored and supervised by other institutions, such as the Indian Parliament. “You want this surveillance to follow civilians without being monitored by the Parliament. You are shifting surveillance from counterterrorism to civilians. This shift must be routinely monitored, audited and supervised by the other institutions in the democratic regime,” Yuval Wollman, President, CyberProof, told Business Insider. From a cyber security perspective, Wollman said, “You want to make sure that you have the right protection in your application, equitable to the data being collected.” “It opens up the doors for the attackers – from a government’s perspective, you want to make sure that the agencies are taking the right protection as well,” he further added. “This also goes against the provisions of the IT Act and the proposed Personal Data Protection Bill as the app service provider would fall under the definition of an intermediary and (is) obligated to ensure the security of the data collected and (is) liable for loss of it under the intermediary guidelines,” Salman Waris, Partner at Tech Legis Advocates and Solicitors, told <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/software/legal-experts-point-out-liability-concerns-with-the-aarogya-setu-app/articleshow/75561944.cms">Economic Times</a>. Government protocol says data should be permanently deleted after 180 days The ‘Aarogya Setu Data Access and Knowledge Sharing Protocol, 2020’ states that the government should permanently delete the data after 180 days. Apart from that, the government has mandated that any response data accessed by an authorised body shall ordinarily not be shared with any third party. However, response data may be shared with such third parties only if it is strictly necessary to directly formulate or implement appropriate health responses, it added. Government mandates data anonymisation Further response data may be made available for research purposes by NIC in hard anonymised form. Hard anonymisation refers to a series of technical processes which ensure that any individual is incapable of being identified from the response data through any means reasonably likely to be used to identify such individual. This anonymisation shall be done in accordance with anonymisation protocols that are to be developed, reviewed and updated on a periodic basis by an expert committee appointed by the principal scientific advisor to the Government of India. "Such review shall have regard to the nature and sensitivity of the data being processed, the robustness of the anonymisation protocol and advances in technology. Response data which has undergone hard anonymisation, as under para 8(a), may be made available to Indian universities and research institutions / research entities registered in India," it said. Any violation of these directions may lead to penalties as per section 51 to 60 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and other legal provisions as may be applicable, as per the protocol. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/these-are-the-privacy-issues-in-aarogya-setu-indias-covid-19-tracker-app-alleged-by-french-hacker-elliot-alderson/articleshow/75592800.cms">These are the privacy issues in Aarogya Setu, India's Covid-19 tracker app, alleged by French hacker Elliot Alderson</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/aarogya-setu-claims-its-app-is-secure-denies-privacy-breach/articleshow/75569270.cms">Aarogya Setu denies privacy breach, contradicts ethical hacker’s claims</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/covid-19-contact-tracing-app-aarogya-setu-has-alerted-1-4-lakh-users-official-govt-mulls-making-it-mandatory-for-air-passengers/articleshow/75681015.cms">COVID-19 contact tracing app Aarogya Setu has alerted 1.4 lakh users: official; govt mulls making it mandatory for air passengers</a>

Experts explain the legal and moral pitfalls in Aarogya Setu app ⁠— despite the government’s insistence that a protocol has been put in place

New Delhi, Apr 13 () A high-powered committee comprising government officials and tech leaders, set up by the Prime Minister's Office, is working on solutions to deal with the coronavirus crisis, including the next version of Aarogya Setu app, according to a source.The committee has been formed under Principal Scientific advisor Professor Vijay Raghavan.The member includes IT secretary Ajay Sawhney, Trai Chairperson RS Sharma, telecom secretary Anshu Prakash, Tata Group chairperson N Chandrasekaran, Mahindra Group chairman Anand Mahindra, Tech Mahindra CEO CP Gurnani, Professor V Kamakoti of IIT Chennai and Google map founder Lalitesh Katragadda."The committee meets regularly and is progressing aggressively and the PMO is actively involved. They meet 3 to 4 times a week to discuss the next steps. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been himself stressing on 'harnessing digital and tech innovation for a healthier planet', and spearheading this initiative," the source told .The committee is said to have been the driving force to develop coronavirus patient tracker mobile Aarogya Setu."The goal of the committee is to make this app cover all aspects. 100 per cent reach, ability to trace and restrict movement of patients and those quarantined using artificial intelligence and GPS technologies, reduce burden on the health care system by providing remote health care support," the source said.The committee is working on the next version of Aarogya Setu to help citizens to identify lockdown spots and also especially for the economically weaker section to use these services to find out and locate daily needs distribution centres."Basically aim is to be a complete one stop shop for all citizen needs arising due to covid-19. Tata Consultancy Services is working on testing and some of the other aspects while Tech Mahindra and the Mahindra group is working with the committee on the next version of this application and leveraging next generation technologies like AI, machine learning, data science," the source said.Tech Mahindra is also working on expanding the reach of Aarogya Setu on all types of phones.The current version of Aarogya Setu app is fit for use on smartphones only."There is work going on to add health care facilities, remote healthcare and medical staff support also in the app," the source said.According to the source, the committee is also working on to come up with solutions that can be rolled out across the country expeditiously and in an economical manner."The committee came up with Aarogya Setu on April 2. Now, over 1 crore people have downloaded it. Mahindra Group has declared that the group will enable building of automated versions of bag valve mask ventilator – especially to simplify design and to scale up capacity. Similarly other solutions are being expeditiously looked at by the committee," the source said.According to the source, Niti Aayog and the Ministry of Electronics and IT have played an instrumental role in the development of Aarogya Setu. PRS BAL

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