Recent reports have surfaced claiming that the personal data of 375 million Airtel India users has been made available for sale on the dark web. According to Dark Web Informer on X.com, an individual named xenZen purportedly listed a dataset containing details such as names, family information, contact details, and Aadhaar information of Airtel customers on a forum known as BreachForums.
The seller also asserted responsibility for a recent data breach involving the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, which reportedly exposed approximately 2,00,000 user data records from the ministry’s eMigrate portal. Note that the authenticity of these claims remains unverified.
Also read: Vulnerabilities in CocoaPods expose thousands of iOS Apps to potential hijacking: Check details
However, Airtel India has denied any breach of user data, reassuring that the private information remains secure and labelling these allegations as false. “There has been an ongoing report alleging that Airtel customer data has been compromised. This is nothing short of a desperate attempt to tarnish Airtel’s reputation by vested interests. We have done a thorough investigation and can confirm that there has been no breach whatsoever from Airtel systems,” an Airtel spokesperson said in a statement.
Also read: Study Reveals: 280 million Google Chrome users have installed dangerous extensions
In light of these alarming developments, taking proactive steps to protect your personal data is crucial:
1. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Strengthen your account security by enabling 2FA wherever possible. This adds an extra layer of protection by requiring a second form of verification in addition to your password.
3. Use Strong, Unique Passwords: Avoid using easily guessable passwords and refrain from reusing passwords across multiple accounts. Consider using a reputable password manager to generate and store complex passwords securely.
4. Be Cautious of Phishing Attempts: Stay vigilant against phishing emails or messages that attempt to trick you into revealing sensitive information. Verify the authenticity of requests for personal information before responding.
5. Limit Sharing of Personal Information: Be mindful of sharing personal details unnecessarily, both online and offline. Verify the legitimacy of requests for personal information before providing any data.
By adopting these proactive measures, you can surely reduce the risk of falling victim to data breaches and protect your personal information from unauthorised access.