What are the key issues that need to be addressed to prevent data breaches on CoWIN

Detail the areas of concern that need to be tackled to prevent data breaches in the CoWIN portal and respond to the Congress's demand for a judicial inquiry into the same matter.
The CoWIN portal is critical to India's vaccination drive, and safeguarding the personal health information of citizens is a top priority. To prevent data breaches on CoWIN, the following key issues need to be addressed:
  • Improved security measures: The CoWIN portal needs to enhance its security measures to protect user data from unauthorized access. This can include implementing multi-factor authentication, encrypting data in transit and at rest, and conducting regular vulnerability assessments.
  • Strict access controls: The CoWIN portal should enforce strict access controls to ensure that only authorized personnel have access to privileged data. This can include access control policies and procedures, such as role-based access controls, privileged access management, and audit trails.
  • Regular monitoring and auditing: The CoWIN portal should implement regular monitoring and auditing procedures to detect and prevent any unauthorized access or suspicious behavior. This can include the use of intrusion detection systems, security information and event management systems, and incident response plans.
  • Continuous employee training and awareness: The CoWIN portal should provide regular training sessions to employees on security best practices and insider threats. This can include phishing awareness training, data protection training, and incident management training.
To respond to the Congress's demand for a judicial inquiry into potential data breaches on CoWIN, the authorities should conduct a comprehensive investigation that includes the examination of logs, system audits, and access records. The findings should be made public, and any individuals or organizations found to be responsible should be held accountable.
Answered a year ago
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