Afrigather AnyVerify, a website that claims to assist companies confirm their clients, is promoting the private info of over 100 million Nigerians—together with Nationwide Identification Quantity (NIN), Financial institution Verification Quantity (BVN), and Tax Identification quantity—regardless of being unlicensed by the nation’s id administration fee (NIMC).
For ₦190 (13 cents), AnyVerify will pull up an correct profile of any Nigerian. It’s the second time in a 12 months that an unlicenced entity is providing the private info of Nigerians on the market. In March 2024, the Nationwide Identification Administration Fee (NIMC) denied claims that XpressVerify, an internet site promoting private info, was one among its licensed companions.
An investigation by the Nigeria Information Safety Fee (NDPC) discovered NIMC’s safety infrastructure compliant and indicated that the March breach was on account of entry abuse by an NIMC agent.
Some individuals had been arrested over the incident, one individual aware of the matter mentioned. A spokesperson for the NIMC denied the claims on the time.
NIMC’s database is licensed to banks, fintechs, and different companions for a price. AnyVerify isn’t a NIMC-licensed partner. It raises questions on how the web site has entry to the database.
“We examined the web site, archived it and will pay for NIN slips belonging to Bosun Tijani the minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economic system and Vincent Olatunji, the commissioner of the NDPC,” mentioned Gbenga Sesan, the chief director of Paradigm Initiative, a non-profit whose investigation first reported on the matter.
In contrast to NIMC and its companions, AnyVerify, which identifies itself as a verification software, has no vetting course of to determine unhealthy actors. Customers are required to submit their e-mail addresses and NINs—the identical information they intend to confirm. After registration, customers are introduced with a pockets to fund with a minimum of ₦400 earlier than utilizing the web site.
NIMC and Nigeria Information Safety Fee (NDPC) didn’t instantly reply to a request for feedback.
“It’s both the NIMC is doing a poor job at information safety through the use of a cloud storage to retailer information or an insider is permitting people retrieve information,” mentioned one moral hacker who requested to not be named so they may communicate freely.
Launched in November 2023, AnyVerify was visited 567,990 instances and 188,360 in February and April 2024 respectively, in response to Paradigm Initiative.
The info breaches come months after the Nationwide Identification Administration Fee (NIMC) was moved to the Workplace of the Secretary to the Authorities of the Federation from the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economic system.
