NEW DELHI: The Aarogya Setu app has raised questions about civil liberties, said experts after a French ethical hacker on Wednesday tweeted raising concerns on a potential security issue in the mobile application.
“Hi @SetuAarogya, A security issue has been found in your app. The privacy of 90 million Indians is at stake. Can you contact me in private?” said the post by the alias Elliot Alderson.
Following Alderson’s tweet, a statement by Aarogya Setu team said no data or security breach was identified and that there was no compromise on any ‘personal or sensitive data’.
However, it thanked the ethical hacker “on engaging with us”.
Vrinda Bhandari, a lawyer specialising in privacy and technology, said the “biggest concern is that Aarogya Setu does not have a legislative framework”.
Cyberlaw expert Pavan Duggal said the app did not comply with the IT Act 2000 and of the specific parameters of cybersecurity and privacy.
“When an outsider ethical hacker is repeatedly telling you there is a problem in your app, it would not be wise to disregard such inputs. The government needs to have a harmonious balance between protection of national interests in the war against COVID-19 and protection of civil liberties,” Duggal said.