Combatting identity theft

Data protection service to require a person's consent before third parties can access their NADRA data

As more Pakistanis become aware of the importance of data privacy and the risk of identity theft, the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) is offering its own solution in the form of a data protection service that would require a person’s consent before a third party can access their Nadra data for verification or other purposes.

Nadra says its Ijazat Aap Ki initiative will ensure that sensitive data is protected and secure at all times by requiring passcodes for access, which would be issued upon a citizen’s PIN-secured request from a verified cellphone. According to the authority’s chief, citizens will now be able to protect their data against misuse, and even reputable institutions such as banks will need to seek a person’s permission before using their information.

As more Pakistanis increase their online footprints, especially on social media, the risk of falling victim to online scams also increases. Western countries are all too familiar with the worst-case scenarios in identity theft cases, where people have had their life’s savings drained or movable property stolen, and loans and credit cards taken out in their names by scammers who gained access to people’s private data.

While some personal information is always ‘out there’, people who overshare on social media often make it easier for scammers to fill in several gaps, and even easier if scammers can access a person’s Nadra data.

As more financial services migrate online, some of the more tried and tested human security measures will not be usable. Due to separate security considerations, online banks can’t just look at you and compare what they see to the picture on your CNIC — which is one of the first things a human banker would do. Comparing signatures is also harder because many people struggle with writing consistency on handwriting software. This makes the secure use of PINs for transactions even more essential, as a strong PIN would be near impossible to guess. Just don’t write it down and leave it in plain sight.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 5^th, 2023.

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