Introduction to the Aadhaar Data Vault

The Aadhaar Data Vault is a secure, central place to store Aadhaar details in encrypted form. The solution runs on your AWS infrastructure. Think360 builds it, keeps access for maintenance, and supports it over time. It meets UIDAI specifications and stays in line with the Aadhaar Act 2016 and related regulations.

Overview

Under UIDAI guidelines, an Aadhaar Data Vault is the central storage for all Aadhaar numbers (and any linked data, like eKYC/cKYC XML) your organization collects. It is the only place where real Aadhaar numbers live. Everywhere else, business systems use Reference Keys. That shrinks where Aadhaar appears and cuts the risk of unauthorized access or misuse.

Bottom line: Keep Aadhaar inside the vault and use Reference Keys everywhere else.

Key Features

• Encrypted storage: Aadhaar and linked data are always encrypted in the vault. Keys live only in HSM devices, as UIDAI requires.
• Reference Key tokenization: Each Aadhaar number gets a unique Reference Key. Your apps store and use only that key; the link to Aadhaar stays only in the vault.
• Single logical instance: All vault data sits in one logical instance with matching reference keys. HA/DR can be added at the same security level.
• Restricted access: The vault sits in a locked-down network zone, separate from the rest of your network. You reach it only through secure APIs or microservices, with strong auth and logging.
• UIDAI compliance: Design and operations follow UIDAI circulars and the Aadhaar (Authentication) and (Sharing of Information) Regulations 2016.

Implementation Context

• Hosting: Everything is built and runs on your AWS cloud.
• Ownership and access: Think360 builds and maintains the vault and provides support. The vault stays in your AWS account.
• Scope: You get an Aadhaar data vault with the technical and operational controls described here.

Benefits

• Compliance: Meets UIDAI specs and helps avoid regulatory and contractual penalties (e.g. Aadhaar Act 2016 Section 42 and AUA/KUA terms).
• Security: Fewer copies of Aadhaar, encryption and HSM, and access only through secure APIs in an isolated network.
• Clarity: One place for the Aadhaar–Reference Key link; your apps only use Reference Keys.

Next Steps

• Architecture: design, tech specs, and deployment
• Reference Keys: what they are and how tokenization works
• Security and Compliance: encryption, access control, and UIDAI
• Implementation and APIs: integration, APIs, and data lifecycle
• Backup and Disaster Recovery: backup and DR
• Maintenance and Support: ongoing maintenance and support