Skip to main content

Vodafone India privacy problem: exposes phone numbers

Vodafone India is exposing website surfer/user's phone number to the partner website when using mobile data plan. It might be offering hidden API to those partner websites to uniquely identify users. I have noticed it around 1-year before, thought about blogging, but forgot it at that time. Now, I have got some time and so thought of explaining the issue.

How I noticed the issue?

Sometime ago, I've bought SanDisk microSD card. In the wrapper, they've mentioned about some offer about hungama (Still available in SanDisk website at www.sandisk.in/campaign/landing/hungama/offer_three). The URL mentioned was offers.hungama.com/sandisk3/ and when I opened that in my mobile browser, it was prompting with Welcome, 91-98XXXXXXXX.
Phone number leaked by Vodafone India


I was shocked as I never seen anything like that before. So, I immediately opened the same URL in my desktop browser and got completely different page:
Desktop version of the same page

And, again I tried to open the same page in mobile browser with Wi-Fi alone (by disabling Mobile Data), and now also they couldn't identify my mobile number. So, I realized that it might be something to do with the network (Vodafone). Initially I thought that they may be decoding the phone number from IP address. So, I asked Heleena (my wife) to figure out some pattern for that. Then it turn out that there is no definite pattern. I have also analyzed HTTP headers when browsing through Vodafone internet. Then, realized that hungama might be utilizing some hidden API from Vodafone to decode user's IP to mobile number.

Privacy Issue


At least for me, this looks like a serious privacy issue. hungama at least openly exposes the phone number to users, so that users can know that hungama can read their numbers/identity. But, there may be many sites--especially many social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Google, etc may still be uniquely identifying users without revealing it at all. 
Labels:

Comments

Ohmkumar said…
Hi Rajesh,
Welcome back :)

Hope you agree, nothing is private in online...
May 1, 2016, 3:52:00 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Humble Award - Dr. A.N. Sreevatsan

Dr. A.N. Sreevatsan , ENT specialist located in Adyar, Chennai is one of the gems available in medicines. No assistants in his consulting room and he'd take at least 15mins for every patients. So far I have referred many and all are happy with his approach. Every wannabe doctor should visit him personally to understand his approach. I wish him to be more famous than now. Update (2010-11-21) : Added link to Google Map Keywords : Sreevatsan, Srivatsan, ENT, Adyar, Chennai, Hospital, Doctor
1 comment
Read more

Who is behind Puthiya Thalaimurai magazine?

I have noticed some incoming hits about Puthiya Thalaimurai magazine. When I first read the magazine, I've immediately taken 2-life subscription (one for me and another for my parents) because of its content. Though the magazine quality is still good, some people rumored the following (google and related sites confirm that too): SRM group is behind "Puthiya Thalaimurai" magazine They've launched India Jananayaka Katchi political party They're about to launch SRM TV channel
Post a Comment
Read more

Spotify's Greenroom Vs. Clubhouse - Missing Text Chat and Other Impacts

We have Clubhouse clones from Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, and now Spotify. Unlike others, Spotify seems to target directly into the Clubhouse audience/members. It is extremely obvious inside Clubhouse as you can find many spammy clubs and rooms created to attract the Clubhouse users. Greenroom Vs. Clubhouse I was stumbled upon one such room Clubhouse influencers are jumping off to Greenroom? - All things Hollywood . Few takeaways from the room are: Text chat is not available in Clubhouse, whereas it is available in Greenroom. This is the most talked-about USP. The recording feature is not available in Clubhouse and the same is available in Greenroom. Spotify has opened up a creator fund for Greenroom creators in the USA. However, I think, there are better indirect monetization options available for Clubhouse users. Stream's chat component & million-dollar opportunity? As I tweeted , Clubhouse can quickly bring the text chat feature by using Stream's chat component . If they...
Post a Comment
Read more