The government intends to prevent some “incorrect uses” of the NRIC range while the issue is “relatively contained,” according to Mrs. Teo.  ,
” Doing so will better safeguard people and help us to use NRIC figures with confidence”, she added.  ,
According to Mrs. Teo, those who have used their NRIC amount as a password may change it right away.  ,
She added that this will offer them better defense against those who use NRIC quantities to gain access to information or services.  ,
An NRIC amount is like an animal’s name– even if not commonly disclosed, it is not a key, said Mrs Teo.  ,
We would be at least somewhat suspicious if anyone we don’t recognize calling out our titles and starts acting as though they know us well, she said.  ,
People shouldn’t completely trust others just because they are aware of their titles, and this is how they should behave toward those who are aware of their NRIC numbers.  ,
We shouldn’t believe that they are well-known, respected, or capable of being trusted. We should be careful when revealing more about ourselves, responding to their demands, or acting upon their advice without more reflection.
This will help” a lot” in preventing harms from scams and identity theft, the minister said, adding that if people stop using NRIC numbers as passwords and organizations stop using NRIC numbers as authenticators.  ,
When needed, such as when receiving medical care or applying for jobs, she added, using one’s NRIC statistics will give them “better peace of mind.”  ,
The Ministry of Digital Development and Information intends to begin discussions with the private business quickly, and first meetings suggest there might be “different techniques.”  ,
The minister predicted that the government would take even more for the private sector because the government knew it would take time to make the shift to the masked NRIC figures.  ,
She said that the intention was to transition from interior government practices to those in the private sector and non-profits, which may help agencies better understand the difficulties of implementation.  ,
” We had also planned to make a significant effort to support efforts to stop improper practices and to support Singaporeans be aware of the risks,” said Mrs. Teo.  ,
” The Bizfile incident was an unfortunate misstep, which now means these plans need to be brought forward” . ,