The Karnataka government has announced an upgrade of the Hardware Security Module (HSM) that powers Aadhaar
authentication services across state departments, in a move aimed at strengthening digital governance, cyber
security, and service reliability.
Home, IT & BT, and e-Governance Minister Priyank Kharge said the upgrade is a preventive technology enhancement to
ensure higher security, better reliability, and continued compliance with national security standards.
“Digital public infrastructure is the backbone of citizen-centric governance. The Government is continuously
investing in strengthening critical digital systems to ensure that essential public services remain secure, reliable
and resilient”, the minister said in a statement.
The HSM is a critical component of the state’s digital ecosystem as it securely stores encryption keys used for
Aadhaar authentication. On average, 10 to 12 lakh Aadhaar authentication requests are processed daily across various
government departments in Karnataka.
As part of the upgrade, the latest security patches, bug fixes, and OEM-supported enhancements will be incorporated
to improve overall system performance.
To minimise disruption, the maintenance activity will be carried out after office hours, between 6 pm and 6 am on
July 31, August 1 and August 2. The government has made arrangements to ensure that the impact on public services
remains minimal during this period.
“The government remains committed to building a secure, trusted and future-ready digital ecosystem. Strengthening
cyber resilience and safeguarding citizens’ digital data will continue to remain our highest priority”, Priyank
Kharge added.