Nearly 13.8 lakh biometric devices in use by the telecom sector for Aadhaar authentication have been made compliant with UIDAI’s new encryption norms, according to CEO Ajay Bhushan Pandey.
The move is aimed at adding a new device-level security layer at a time when Aadhaar-based e-KYC is being used by telecom industry for fresh connections and re-verification of existing mobile subscribers.
“In telecom sector, about 13.8 lakh fingerprint devices have been upgraded as registered devices with the new encryption key. Telecom industry is now fully compliant,” the UIDAI CEO told PTI.
Overall, about 15 lakh devices have been “upgraded”, meaning that these devices, that were being used in the field for biometric authentication, have now been secured with a new layer of encryption.
Lauding telecom companies for completing the “massive” task of rolling out the new security feature in existing fingerprint devices, Pandey said encryption key will ensure that biometrics captured cannot be misused.
UIDAI’s next priority would be to ensure compliance of new encryption norms in other user agencies like banks and various government offices, he added. UIDAI is the nodal body responsible for rolling out Aadhaar, the 12-digit unique identification number that identifies residents based on their biometrics.
