SINGAPORE, June 26 -- Singapore's Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) has reportedly urged private sector entities to stop using National Registration Identity Card (NRIC) numbers as authentication tools or passwords due to security risks.

In a formal advisory issued today, the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) and the Cyber Security Agency (CSA) advised organisations to cease using NRIC numbers to verify an individual's identity when granting access to personal services or information.

"While organisations may use NRIC numbers to identify who a person is over the phone or when using digital services, NRIC numbers should not be used to prove that a person is who he claims to be ... for the purposes of trying ...