Alibaba owned UC Browser under government scanner over Data leaks

[Len]

India is fighting this war against China on an unusual battleground - the five-inch screen of your smartphone.

Earlier in the month, the Indian government asked top 21 smartphone brands, majority Chinese, to send the details of their infrastructure and processes they follow to ensure the security of the devices.

The matter, first highlighted through the findings of a study conducted by the University of Toronto, is now being investigated by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Hyderabad.

However, UCWeb said that it was a standard industry practice to collect user information and data in necessary scenarios to provide users with localised services.

The government has responded to these security risks with a flurry of moves in the past few days. When contacted by TOI, a spokesperson for UC Web said it takes security and privacy very seriously, adding that "it is a common practice for IT companies to place servers all around the globe to provide better service to users". The government will verify the details provided and act against companies that have failed to meet security requirements.

"There have been complaints against UC Browser that it sends mobile data of its users in India to servers in China".

According to media reports, the government was looking into allegations that Alibaba's UC Browser leaked mobile data of its Indian users.

The officer said if the allegations against the browser are established then it may be banned in the country.

UC Browser is developed by the Chinese mobile internet company UCWeb and is owned by Alibaba Group of China. Billionaire Jack Ma-run Alibaba has made significant investments in the payment bank firm Paytm and its parent company One97.

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, the world's largest e-com firm by value of goods sold online, has upped the price band for its.

UC Browser has a year ago claimed that it has over 100 million monthly active users in India and Indonesia.

UCWeb has also been accused of sending data including device's IMEI number and location data to a server in China on connecting to a Wi-Fi network. PayTM, in which Ali Baba holds the biggest share, owns title sponsorship of all cricket tournaments in India. Viva and Oppo have cornered all the major sponsorships of Indian cricket.