Vehicle registration and licence data leak: Centre tightens access to transport databases

Key Highlights

• Approved entities must appoint designated officers responsible for receiving data, and authorisation letters for these appointments are also mandatory.
• Vehicle owners are the ones bearing the brunt of the data leak.
• Cybercriminal groups are using the leaked information to send fake messages claiming that traffic fines have been imposed, thereby cheating people of money.
• The leaked data originated from the Centre’s key software systems: Vahan for vehicle registration, Sarathi for issuing driving licences, E-Challan for handling traffic violations, the Integrated Road Accident Database for accident data, and FASTag used for toll collection.
• Apart from the police, the Motor Vehicles Department, national and state-level government agencies involved in transport planning, and insurance companies, data from the Vahan server must also be shared with private agencies such as High-Security Registration Plate (HSRP) manufacturers.