Massive Breach: Data of Mobile Phone Users in Pakistan Available online for Free

Once again a serious breach happened to mobile phone users in Pakistan. This breach has made the personal data of subscribers of telecom companies publicly available online through multiple mobile applications and web portals. These online portals have provided access to each subscriber’s data on the internet.

This telecom breach gained attention when a video of the app named Asan Bash started circulating on social media claiming to provide access to users’ data through their mobile numbers. This video revealed that everyone can have access to CNIC numbers, family trees, and other information of any individual by just entering the mobile number on the designated place of this application.

Accessing the personal information of someone by just entering their mobile number is a massive breach and it reveals that our data submitted to the telecom companies is not safe at all. Telecom companies require CNIC  to issue new SIMs and this data is later on added to the server for completing the verification process.

This is not the first time users’ security is compromised, previously data of telecom companies was readily made available on the internet for free and anyone could access the CNIC and mobile numbers of users.

Data of Mobile Phone Users in Pakistan Leaked

A web portal ‘simdatabaseonline’ provided free access to mobile users’ data and the CNIC linked to the mobile numbers. Just like the above-mentioned app, through this portal users entered the mobile numbers of telecom users to access their CNIC and information linked with it.

While talking about the recent breach, Cyber security experts raised serious concerns associated with it:

“When you download the said mobile application, you allow it to access all your mobile data including your email, pictures, bank accounts and the contacts saved in your mobile. By agreeing with the terms and conditions of such apps you have legally allowed them to have access to all your data. Many users have compromised their mobile data by using such applications. Therefore, it is advised not to use these third parties applications,” 

Moreover, this data breach might also be linked to National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) database. However, Nadra has denied these allegations for a reason that Nadra Data is in Urdu and not in English whereas the data of users leaked is in English but still an inquiry will be initiated regarding it. Nadra also told that it has lodged complaints with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Crimes and Cyber Wings to investigate the issue.

Also Read: Pakistan Witnesses a Significant Decline of 56% in Mobile Phone Imports