Vehicle data breach prompts Road Ministry to call for forensic audit of its digital systems

Prelims-testable facts

• 01The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has sought a forensic audit of its portals after a vehicle data leak.
• 02The audit targets VAHAN, SARATHI, e-Challan, and PUCC portals, which store extensive vehicle-owner data.
• 03The data leak reportedly included names, addresses, mobile numbers, driving-licence details, and challan information.
• 04The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has been asked to review the data-sharing policy and suggest ways to strengthen it.
• 05The CERT-In forensic security audit is expected to examine the security measures in place for the portals.
• 06The portals in question store registration records, driving licences, e-challan, and other vehicle-owner information.

Trap alerts

• Most people think the data leak was due to hacking, but actually, the cause is still under investigation.
• Most people think the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has the authority to handle cybersecurity, but actually, it has sought the intervention of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.