Editorial in The Nation, July 8, 2023
On Thursday, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of parliament took notice of the leakage of citizens’ data by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), directing the interior ministry to investigate the matter. Even though data security issues have been around for a while, the matter has gained further attention with the information of military officials being leaked, highlighting how serious the threat is and how it continues to expose gaps in our digital ecosystem.
As per reports, during the PAC meeting, the PTA was instructed to block the leaked data, and the interior ministry has been asked to probe into the data leak in collaboration with the PTA, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and Military Intelligence. This is an extremely serious issue that the IT industry and digital rights activists have been pointing towards for a while. The fact that the data of such high-profile individuals can be leaked so easily only means that no one’s data is safe at the moment.
The PAC wants those responsible for the data leaks to be held accountable and exposed, and while that should be done, there are broader issues of regulation and data security mechanisms that need to be looked into urgently.
This is a national security threat with high-level officials being involved, and with the data in the wrong hands, a lot could go wrong in the age of cyberwarfare and threats. But also, this is an issue of user rights and privacy, and the leakage of private data has given rise to a scamming industry, especially when it comes to bank accounts and applications that include the payment details of individuals. Such gaps in the digital ecosystem will not only impede the goal of digital transformation, but also act as a deterrent for IT countries that want to establish a base in the country. Therefore, this investigation should go beyond just holding the individuals responsible for the data leaks and should compel the concerned authorities to enhance data protection measures.
https://www.nation.com.pk/08-Jul-2023/nadra-data-leaks
