It’s time to relax those slightly tense muscles, in case you were worried about some Black Mirror kind of a scenario. You know, with the UIDAI number showing up in your phone’s contact list out of nowhere and all? But hey, we’re putting that dragon to sleep because we finally know who did it!
To refresh your memory, about two days ago, Twitter was blowing up. Why? Because, thanks to one tweet, people realised that UIDAI’s helpline number had magically been saved on their phone’s contact list.
A lot of people have @UIDAI in their contact list by default. I’m thinking aloud: What if it is only the top of the iceberg?
I really need to know now. If you have an Indian phone firmware, I’m your man, please send it to me! https://t.co/xRVNM72f1u
— Elliot Alderson (@fs0c131y) August 2, 2018
The Twitter user who started it all was one Elliot Anderson, whose bio reads that he is a French security researcher and the UIDAI’s worst nightmare. Okay then!
Several theories were conjured about who could’ve pulled this. The usual suspects included the UIDAI app, the phones’ operating systems, other apps, and the servive providers.
Safe to say, shit was pretty much ready to hit the roof.
But the fog seems to be clearing around this mystery. Because Google has decided to step forth and own up to a slight boo-boo that they made, back in 2014.
— Google India (@GoogleIndia) August 3, 2018
As for the Black Mirror scare, that’s also been dismissed. No Big Brother is spying or accessing your phone devices.
“We are sorry for any concern that this might have caused, and would like to assure everyone that this is not a situation of an unauthorised access of their Android devices.”
In case you’ve got any more doubts in your mind, maybe this clarification from the chairman of the Indian Cellular Association might allay them.
“UIDAI cannot in any case give us any mandate.”
Oh wait, I know. You’re wondering if you should let the number be in your contacts or delete it, right? I mean, it doesn’t even work!
To this, the Maharashtra Cyber Security Cell says sure, go ahead and delete that number in a statement issued late last night. And the UIDAI has also clarified the ‘real’ helpline number.
“18003001947 is not a valid UIDAI toll free number and some vested interests are trying to create unwarranted confusion in the public. The UIDAI’s valid toll free number is 1947, which is functional for more than the last two years.”
Alright, then! With all our doubts and burning queries put to rest, shall we say ‘All’s well that ends well’, then?