Indian Railways Deactivates 3.03 Crore Fake IDs in 2025 to Strengthen Cybersecurity and Protect Tatkal Bookings
In one of its most significant cybersecurity crackdowns, Indian Railways deactivated approximately 3.03 crore suspicious user IDs in 2025. The move comes as part of a broader strategy to protect its online reservation system from fraud, automated misuse, and cyberattacks—especially during high-demand Tatkal bookings.
The scale of action reflects the growing sophistication of cyber threats targeting India’s busiest ticketing platform. With millions attempting to secure tickets within minutes of release, the system has historically been vulnerable to bots, fake accounts, and agent-controlled bulk bookings.
Aadhaar-Based OTP Verification Strengthens Tatkal Fairness
To curb misuse and improve transparency, the Ministry of Railways introduced Aadhaar-based One-Time Password (OTP) verification for online Tatkal bookings. This measure ensures instant authentication of users, enforcing uniqueness and preventing multiple accounts operated by the same entity.
Given the time-sensitive nature of Tatkal bookings, Aadhaar authentication helps ensure that tickets are allocated to genuine passengers rather than automated systems or unauthorised agents. By limiting account proliferation and enforcing stricter identity verification, the Railways has significantly improved fairness in ticket distribution.
Passengers have reported improved ticket availability and a more transparent booking experience since the implementation of these safeguards.
Multi-Layer Security Controls to Block Bots and Attacks
Beyond identity verification, the reservation system now features multiple application-level security controls. CAPTCHA mechanisms have been deployed at various stages of booking to prevent scripting attacks, brute-force attempts, and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.
Security upgrades also address vulnerabilities outlined by Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP), ensuring compliance with globally recognized application security standards.
To optimise performance and reduce server load, Indian Railways has implemented an enterprise-level Content Delivery Network (CDN). This system offloads static content, improving speed and reducing direct traffic to the core ticket-booking servers during peak hours.
Additionally, anti-bot solutions such as Akamai have been deployed to identify and filter non-genuine users. These systems analyze user behavior in real time, blocking suspicious or automated activity while allowing legitimate passengers seamless access.
High-Availability Infrastructure and DDoS Protection
The Railways’ entire Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) infrastructure now operates in high-availability mode, minimizing downtime and system failures.
The system is protected by data centre-grade network firewalls, intrusion prevention systems, web application firewalls (WAF), and application delivery controllers. Volume-based DDoS attacks are mitigated through ISP-layer protection and DDoS detection services across multiple internet service providers, offering nearly 30 Gbps of aggregated mitigation capacity.
Enterprise-grade secure DNS services and advanced WAF systems further enhance protection, ensuring both security and optimal customer experience during peak booking windows.
Deep-Dark Web Monitoring and Threat Intelligence
To proactively detect emerging threats, Railways has engaged RailTel for comprehensive cyber threat intelligence services. This includes Deep and Dark Web monitoring, digital risk protection, and enhanced incident response capabilities.
The reservation system is integrated with CERT-In under its Threat & Situational Awareness Projects (TSAP) for 24/7 monitoring of cybersecurity incidents.
It is also connected with CERT-In’s “Madhu-Sanjal” platform, where honeypot sensors track attacker behavior, suspicious events, and intrusion attempts. These insights help security teams understand hacker tactics and strengthen defensive strategies.
Secure Data Centre and Physical Safeguards
The ticketing system is hosted in a captive data centre located in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi. The facility operates under strict physical access controls, CCTV surveillance, and ISO 27001 (Information Security Management System) certification standards.
An on-premises security team continuously monitors system logs to detect anomalies and respond to incidents in real time. Regular audits are conducted by CERT-In-empanelled Information Security Audit Agencies to ensure compliance and system integrity.
Internet traffic is also monitored by the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) alongside CERT-In to detect and prevent cyberattacks targeting this critical infrastructure.
Anti-Fraud Actions and Complaint Monitoring
The crackdown extends beyond technical safeguards. In 2025, authorities blocked 12,819 suspicious email domains linked to fraudulent booking activities.
Additionally, 376 complaints were lodged on the National Cyber Crime Portal regarding approximately 3.99 lakh suspicious bookings. These reports have helped authorities identify patterns of abuse and strengthen countermeasures.
The deactivation of 3.03 crore fake IDs marks one of the largest digital clean-up exercises undertaken by Indian Railways. It demonstrates a clear shift toward proactive cybersecurity governance in a system that handles massive daily transaction volumes.
A Stronger, Fairer Digital Booking Ecosystem
The comprehensive reforms signal a decisive move toward protecting genuine passengers and ensuring equal access to railway services. By combining Aadhaar verification, anti-bot technology, infrastructure upgrades, threat intelligence, and continuous monitoring, Indian Railways has significantly enhanced the resilience of its online ticketing ecosystem.
As cyber threats continue to evolve, sustained vigilance and technological innovation will remain crucial. For now, the 2025 crackdown stands as a milestone in safeguarding one of India’s most critical public digital platforms.
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