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14 July 2026

Vulnerabilities in UMANG portal

The UMANG portal is a flagship e-governance platform, and vulnerabilities in its security architecture directly relate to critical issues of data privacy, digital governance, and cybersecurity in public service delivery.

1 min read 2 questions 1 prelims

Notes

  • UMANG (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance) aggregates over 2,400 public services from Union and State governments.
  • Security researchers identified vulnerabilities in the portal architecture, potentially exposing sensitive data including Unique Account Numbers (UAN) and LPG booking details.
  • Aadhaar numbers were found stored in plain text across several services, which is prohibited under the Aadhaar Act, 2016.
  • The EPFO module is the most-used service on the portal, with over 40 crore transactions in the last three months.
  • The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and CERT-In were notified of the vulnerabilities; the Ministry stated that corrective measures, including encryption of API information, have been implemented.
  • Independent experts have raised concerns regarding the adequacy of the implemented fixes, suggesting they may rely on security through obscurity rather than robust encryption.
  • Potential risks include unauthorized access to financial data and the possibility of siphoning funds by manipulating bank account details and payouts.

Questions

  1. The integration of diverse public services into a single digital interface like the UMANG portal offers convenience but introduces systemic risks. Discuss the challenges of ensuring data privacy and cybersecurity in large-scale e-governance platforms. 150 words
    Attempt this — 150 words in 8 min
    0 / 150 words 8:00
  2. The proliferation of e-governance initiatives is central to the 'Digital India' mission. However, the reliance on centralized API-based architectures necessitates a robust framework for data protection. Analyze the role of CERT-In and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in maintaining the integrity of public digital infrastructure against emerging cyber threats. 250 words
    Attempt this — 250 words in 11 min
    0 / 250 words 11:00

Prelims

  1. Which of the following bodies is primarily responsible for issuing alerts and assisting organizations in India with fixes for cybersecurity vulnerabilities?

Syllabus

Topics

Sources

250words.in · https://250words.in/daily/2026-07-14/vulnerabilities-in-umang-portal