Central government fixes privacy flaws in the Aarogya Setu app

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After numerous sources cited security issues with the Aarogya Setu app, it seems the central government has taken steps to fix it. The*Aarogya Setu app as released on April 2 and was deemed a security risk by many. The app faced the ire of the people for being lax in terms of the privacy security. But now it seems the app developers have addressed some of the major security concerns that were pointed out.

The Aarogya setu App has been updated and the new version has been analysed by the news website*MediaNama. The report published by them points to some of the things that have been fixed.

Aarogya Setu app: Fixed privacy issues

There are changes to the data management situation with the*Aarogya setu App. The data will now be stored in*secure server managed by the government.*This information stored on the Server will be hashed with a unique digital id (DiD) that is pushed to your App. The DiD will thereafter be used to identify users in all subsequent App related transactions. And it will be associated with any data or information uploaded from the App to the Server.

As for data sharing it was mentioned previously that two smartphones with the*Aarogya setu App would share data. More light has been thrown on this and now specifies things. “The information that is collected from your App will be securely stored on the mobile device of the other registered user and will not be accessible by such other user. In the event such other registered user tests positive for Covid-19, this information will be securely uploaded from his/her mobile device and stored on the server,” the policy now reads.

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The new privacy policy also states that data will be collected from the app every 15 minutes. But this is only when the user status is yellow or orange. This signifys a high risk of exposure to Covid-19. Data from users with a gree status will not be stored. The end of the data has now been clarified as well. “Your DiD will only be co-related with your personal information in order to communicate to you the probability that you have been infected with Covid-19 and/or to provide persons carrying out medical and administrative interventions necessary in relation to Covid-19, the information they might need about you in order to be able to do their job.”

It has also been specified that data from the app will only be used for purposes mentioned in the privacy policy. The privacy policy also mentions that data from the app will be retained only for 30 days. While in case of a covid-19 positive person it is 60 days.



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