Security News > 2023 > June > India probes medical info 'leak' to Telegram

India's tech minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar confirmed "A Telegram Bot was throwing up Co-WIN app details upon entry of phone numbers," but claimed the data came from a previous breach unrelated to Co-WIN. India's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare later denied any breach, writing "It is clarified that all such reports are without any basis and mischievous in nature."

"Union Health Ministry has requested the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team to look into this issue and submit a report. In addition, an internal exercise has been initiated to review the existing security measures of Co-WIN," states a Ministerial announcement.

"CERT-In in its initial report has pointed out that backend database for Telegram bot was not directly accessing the APIs of Co-WIN database."

Such efforts evidently commenced in 2019, after reports Beijing had a new facility on the island to conduct espionage were by downplayed National Security Council spokesman John Kirby.

The original report stated that Cuba had plans to host a facility on China's behalf for the purpose of spying on the United States.

Last Friday, in an interview with MSNBC, Kirby stated "I've seen that press report. It's not accurate." Kirby said the Biden administration was concerned about China's interference in the region.

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