Challenges

Rebuilding the Foundation Without Breaking Trust

UIDAI initiated a critical modernization of the Aadhaar platform, the world's largest biometric identity system, to enhance scalability and performance for its billion-plus users.

The strategic shift from a legacy on-premises virtual machine infrastructure to a containerized Kubernetes environment presented significant security complexities.

Operating within a private cloud, UIDAI required a bespoke security solution capable of real-time threat detection across hundreds of services without degrading performance. The solution also needed to ensure operational resilience, provide complete administrative control, and deliver actionable intelligence to prevent analyst fatigue while supporting operations at national scale for a Digital Public Infrastructure like UIDAI.

Solutions

Why Partnership Made the Difference

After a rigorous open tender, UIDAI selected the Sysdig platform to lead the transformation of its container security strategy. The deciding factor was Sysdig’s ability to operate within a complex private cloud environment, support critical national infrastructure, and remain tightly aligned through every phase of execution.

Sysdig delivered more than deep runtime visibility and private cloud compatibility. The team took ownership from the start. Professional Services handled deployment end to end, working alongside UIDAI’s engineering teams to fine-tune configuration and posture. A dedicated resident engineer remained on-site to support integrations, optimize controls, and build internal maturity across security and operations.

“Sysdig helped us build a security program, not just deploy a product,” said Sandeep Khanna, CISO at UIDAI. “From day one, their team provided hands-on support and stayed engaged as we matured.”

Today, Sysdig plays a strategic role in UIDAI’s broader security operations. The platform is fully integrated into their private cloud environment and supports secure service delivery at national scale without compromising speed, control, or continuity.

Understand the Posture, Control the Outcome

Compliance at UIDAI is non-negotiable. As part of the Aadhaar Act, the organization must meet strict standards for biometric data security and undergo regular audits of its cloud infrastructure.

With Sysdig, UIDAI built a unified compliance framework that brings runtime context into every posture decision. Security teams can now benchmark against the Center for Internet Security and International Organization for Standardization standards, prioritize the gaps that matter most, and track measurable improvements over time.

“Sysdig helped us achieve stronger, audit-ready compliance faster than ever before.”

Sandeep Khanna, CISO, UIDAI

Sharing posture data across teams enables faster collaboration and stronger alignment between governance, engineering, and security. Everyone works from the same source of truth, making it easier to close gaps and stay ahead of regulatory expectations.

Real-Time Response at National Scale

UIDAI is a critical information infrastructure. As a result, the entity is a high-value target for threat actors looking to exploit any gaps in coverage or delays in response. 

To stay ahead of threats, UIDAI’s 24/7 security operations center uses Sysdig to power instant runtime detection across its containerized workloads. While logs are routed through the security information and event management system, SOC analysts rely on Sysdig for triage, investigation, and threat visualization.

“Sysdig gives us the clarity our leadership expects. It allowed us to move faster and stay efficient without adding headcount.”

Sandeep Khanna, CISO, UIDAI

Sysdig delivers rich context around each event, helping the team trace attack paths, understand impact, and distinguish urgent risks from routine noise. The result is a faster, more focused response at a scale that matches UIDAI’s mission.

Looking Ahead: Security Without Compromise

UIDAI’s mission demands comprehensive security, and as Khanna said, “that’s exactly what Sysdig helps us achieve.” The organization plans to expand its use of Sysdig across additional workloads and integrate it more deeply into its broader security ecosystem. Features like execution prevention and automated response are on the roadmap, as UIDAI continues to raise the bar for a secure, scalable digital infrastructure.

For UIDAI, good-enough security was never good enough. With Sysdig, they didn’t have to settle.

To learn more about UIDAI, visit uidai.gov.in.