CYBER 
AAROGYA SETU Application:
By- Madhav Maheshwari
It is not much of a time since India retained a spot in the world’s top three surveillance states list along with China & Russia.
According to UK based firm Compritech research reports, India scored 2.4 out of 5 on systematic failure to maintain privacy safeguards.
A user’s biometric data is what threatens the privacy most and storing these critical and sensitive data makes it even more hazardous and in extreme circumstances, the data can be unwillingly used against the individual itself.
The Indian constitution guarantees the fundamental right to privacy but Indians overall fail to attain even average privacy norms. The Indian government was in hot light a few months back for allowing 10 government agencies to authorize, to decrypt, monitor, and intercept data on any computer, and on the other hand, Indian lawmakers framing privacy laws which makes it more doubtful and hypocritical.
In these times of COVID-19, you might lose your confidential data for a lifetime see how.
The central government recently launched an application aarogya setu with astonishing features like digitally detecting and tracking down COVID-19 patients with a hidden feature of surveilling its users through the data restored from the smartphone. The app has recently been made mandatory in some parts of the country and even shortly one might not able to travel without having the application.
The app claims to keep us safe by spying on us. The consequences will be an individual losing autonomy.
What is at stake?
The population of India is 2nd largest. The privacy advocates are worried because the country lacks a data protection framework (which is still in making due to bureaucratic errors). With a population of such numbers how the govt. is going to make sure to keep the data safe while also considering an individual’s privacy without even having any sufficient laws in place.
The privacy advocates want to ensure that the govt. stored data will be deleted and won’t be integrated further but there are only such assurances that the application will shred the data after the pandemic is dealt with, but no legal guarantees.
The data of over 90 million people is at stake and the risk of surveillance from the state.
( The contradictories to the above statement might want to check India’s score on privacy index)
what’s more daunting is that the application was first made mandatory for public sector employees and afterward private sector and employers are the ones to keep a strong check on the presence of the app on the employee’s smartphones, though no one is held to be accountable in case of breach or misuse.
What makes the app even more distrustful?
Recently the central government released advisories with regards to the usage of the app by army personnel. It directed the army personnel to be more cautious and careful while using aarogya setu app. This raised many alarms, one of which is the government is possibly aware of the threats the app poses and how much more vulnerable and convenient it becomes to breach the data of millions of Indians.
Although all the contact tracking app works on the similar principles but the buzz around aarogya setu is the silence on privacy policy and security practices.
Merely stating that data is secure is not much of a good job. The app can become just the tool to track dissenting voices and for monitoring and surveillance.
Many watchdogs argue that the use of any privacy-violating technology must be following the standards stated in the landmark judgment of Puttaswamy:
– Must have a legislative backing
– Pursue legitimate claim
– Rational method to achieve the aim
– There must not be any less restrictive alternatives
– Benefits must outweigh the harm
However, The right to privacy can only be infringed following the law and not without it, and in this case, there lacks legislative power to make this application mandatory.
There are even possibilities that the app might come pre-installed in all the new smartphones post COVID-19 period. The government is looking to expand the scope of surveillance.
The COVID-19 pandemic is putting individual privacy at stake. It will wash away privacy in the name of public health.
However, there are legislations that are setting examples like EU’S GDPR which is in the process to establish accountability and to legally ensure the temporary purpose of storing the data in Europe.
As we all know that cyber space has created geography , a history. The jurisdiction being the utmost challenging factor in cyber space . I agree with the author here . The cyber law in India is very weak unlike China and Germany. The pandemic is overwhelming for all the countries and everyone is fighting for it . In this time every steps taken should be of utmost importance and consideration because if anyone breaches or tries to hamper with the privacy or data of individuals whole nation will pay. Indian cyber authorities are anyway struggling to have a proper law and jurisdiction. The supreme court already importance of privacy in Adhar case . If the government is taking the data just to protect the individuals during the pandemic why would the govt pre install the application in future times.
This shows the other intention of govt clearly.
These facts are really aiding because everyone is lackadaisical towards their privacy and data security but afterward they have to face the consequences of it .hence a bonafide work.
I totally agree with the author here. Unlike China and Germany, we do not have the sophistication in terms of training and neither do we have string laws when it comes to the protection of the privacy of the citizens. What’s more concerning is that during a time of pandemic, people should be comforted with the steps taken by the government and not get even more freaked out by it. The need of a proper law cannot be argued as right to privacy is indeed a fundamental right.
Acc.to me the argoya setu app have both pros n cons to .
if we see pros
– it will data on public health on covid 19 pendemic .
– fast n easy access for govt to catch covid -19 patients
– reliable
b more other benefits too
on cons side-:
-it leads to steal information
-personal information is not safe
-all ur data n other personal identies were not safe
so use the argoya setu app at right direction it doesn,t mean ur information is safe it totally upto to u how u use it and be safe .
at last i want to say that argoya setu app nor safe nor benefit but it basically means provide personal information
to govt which is legally wrong but it is govt made so no chances to oppose against it .
Looking after privacy concern as well as balancing it with health requirements becomes a great obstacle for the Indian Government. The more you rely on this app, the more easier it is to identify the COVID-19 patients, but it also raises a concern for privacy and security. In an era of everything happening online, providing your personal details on several applications make it a question of risk to all.
This article talks about actual root cause of the buzz around the aarogya setu app. It is precise and very well written. Author has the correct information and is able to deliver the same.
This app should not be mandatory as it is only a way of collecting personal information about people by government. Constitution of india provide right to privacy as a fundamental right and this app over shadow this Fundamental right.
It should not be mandatory and only voluntary in nature.
This article contains what the app is all about and why it is needed to be upgraded or redesigned for the effective use
According to me Aarogya Setu App is for our security, if government took survillence on us then it will be not a problem because these are our government, not the chinese apps like tiktok,pubg and etc. We should coperate with our government in the fight with covid-19.
Nandini Agarwal
In recent times, India has become the major spot for cybercrime. A cybercrime can be committed in numerous ways based on the type of network and platforms. Government has taken an effective step by implementation of the aarogya setu app for the well being the nation in order to control the spread of the coronavirus.
Nandini Agarwal
Government has taken an effective step by implementation of the aarogya setu app for the well being the nation in order to control the spread of the coronavirus.
This article is very informative and helpful as this article contains what the app is all about and why it is needed to be upgraded or redesigned for the effective use
Use of latest technology like block chain , tokenization , classification of data , cloud protection can ensure the safety of data far more efficiently .
well written article which should be read because the real facts must be shared with everyone and people must learn the reality and should not be fooled by anyone even it is the government, people must take it very seriously that their privacy matters a lot and they should be concerned about it at any time without getting trapped in these. right to privacy and what are the privacy rights are given to the citizens must be clearly understood and they must not be violated. at present the pandemic is going on and government has asked to download this app and told that it is mandatory so it cannot be denied the only thing we can do is stay safe and do not share the personal details on this and should not bare the losses due to this app which is not a good app and it is somehow violating the right to privacy of the citizens.
this article was very useful and the information given just only says that people must smartly work and should always try to not share the personal details at any platform.
I deeply agree according the article the privacy is most important to us and we should be proteced from attackers
Really good article it really help me to understand things easily
The article was very meaningful , completely agree with the writer. Would like to add how a tech from Banglore had hacked the app in 4 hours where he didn’t even install the app , didn’t enter his details , did not allow access to Bluetooth or gps which we all know are the key components based on which the app works , and yet he was shown safe from the virus. There are many backdoors in the app which aren’t discovered yet , and one should think of the information stored in their phone before allowing all the permissions to the app
As there are always two sides of a coin, the arogya setu app also has two side. It is of utmost importance to use this app as it ensure prevention of spread of corona virus but the many people have alleged that the app has privacy issues, which is somewhat true. However, the author must have been responsible enough to cite the sources from where he has taken the data. The government has however ensured that it will permanently delete data of its users within 180 days, the article nowhere mentions this fact. Though the constitution of India guarantees Right to Privacy, it comes with reasonable restrictions. This tough time of Covid-19 pandemic has brought even some powerful countries on their knees and it is essential to use this app to prevent the spread of Corona virus and we must trust the government during this time. However, i fully support the author that there is an urgent need to make a law regarding privacy of an individual on internet.
The article depicts that the writer is very much well versed with the pros and cons while dealing with this topic. Arogya Setu the app, gifted by government to fellow citizens of India, helped not even the government in tracking the Covid-19 patients but also acted as to safeguard all the citizens from such a deadly virus and pandemic situation. Although the app provides assistance and necessary guidelines in tracing Covid-19, status in India, but the huge data which it is accumulating day by day, needs special attention. If this data gets leaked a larger number of people would be in trouble. The app should be developed with certain mechanisms to provide personal securities to people as well as continuing its task of finding Covid patients. The app although keeping track must also be kept safe from malwares and harmful agents which steal the data and make use of the same for fraudulent purposes and theft,….etc….
We all know that the word is facing a pandemic now . The tracking of the infected and the people who he/she has come across has become utterly necessary. Yes the app lets the government track you but it is for your own good.
although we cannot neglect the fact that the app can be used in a lot of other thing like spying and the security of the app still raises questions in our minds, but we must note it that its the app itself which can prove to be lifesaving for us . And yes India certainly needs to focus on its privacy laws and the cyber field as a whole. But before questioning this apps trustworthiness , we must note that almost everything in our mobile phones can be used for tracking so if anyone is hell bound to track your activities , it was possible since a long time ago before the release of this app.
Thank you everyone for such valuable feedbacks.
I completely agree with the author, our privacy has been at stake for years now and aarogya setu is just another way of doing it. The technology around us is soo powerful it knows every single thing we do. Therefore nothing is private anymore. Good job sir
The article is highly informative that it shows the implementation of the aarogya setu app for the well being the nation in order to control the spread of the coronavirus. The app has data on public health on covid 19 pendemic which is helpfulfor govt to catch covid -19 patients. cyber attack can be done through this app so one must be aware of that,India certainly needs to focus on its privacy laws and the cyber field to avoid the cyber attack.
Just okay.
I feel that ayogya setu is primary step to take some actions against corona, but I also feel that ayogya setu app was developed in hurry as it contains lots of assumptions and lots drawbacks. we INDIANS always try to find alternate way to use something.so finding vulnerabilities and drawbacks in setu app is not a big deal for Indians.