Indian court tells Star Health to share details of leak so Telegram can delete chatbots (updated)

Star Health and Allied Insurance

25/10/2024 10:14

(Updates with details of court hearing in paragraphs 2, 4-8)
    By Praveen Paramasivam
       CHENNAI, Oct 25 (Reuters) - An Indian court in the
southern state of Tamil Nadu has told insurer Star Health
 STAU.NS  to help Telegram identify data leaked via its
messaging app so the chatbots can be deleted.
    The country's biggest insurer with roughly $4 billion market
cap approached the Madras High Court in the southern state of
Tamil Nadu after Reuters reported on Sep. 20 that a hacker had
leaked sensitive customer data including medical claim papers
and tax details through telegram chatbots.
    The Madras High Court judge Justice K Kumaresh Babu directed
the insurer to share information after Star Health requested the
court direct Telegram to take immediate action and remove bots
linked to the data leak.
        Telegram said it was unable to search for leaks on its
own but agreed to delete the data if the insurer helped.
    On Friday, Telegram's lawyer Thriyambak Kannan told the
court that the messaging app needs Star Health to identify and
share the details of the chatbots leaking the data.
    The Dubai-based messenger app has previously said it removed
the chatbots when Reuters flagged them to the platform.
    Star Health faces a ransom demand of $68,000 and is also
investigating allegations that its chief security officer was
involved in the data leak, but earlier this month said it had so
far found no evidence of wrongdoing. The officer previously
declined to comment.
    The leak involves personal information which is very
confidential, Star Health's lawyer told the court. 
    The case will resume after two weeks. 
 

 (Reporting by Praveen Paramasivam; Writing by Arpan Chaturvedi
Editing by Shri Navaratnam, Elaine Hardcastle)
 ((Arpan.Chaturvedi@thomsonreuters.com;))