CBFC Data Leak: Records of Over 500 Films, Including Scripts, Reportedly Exposed

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), India’s film certification authority, is investigating a reported data leak involving records related to more than 500 films. According to media reports, the exposed material included film certification documents, scripts submitted by filmmakers, cut orders and other records required during the process of obtaining certification for theatrical release. The documents were reportedly associated with eCinepramaan, the online portal introduced by the CBFC to digitise its certification process around a decade ago. Filmmakers use the portal to submit documents and apply for certification of their films.

The material reportedly became available for download through the Internet Archive, a nonprofit digital library that preserves online content. Following the incident, the Internet Archive said the material had been removed and that it had reported the matter to cyber authorities. The CBFC has stated that it is investigating the incident and conducting a security audit of the portal. It has also reviewed reports of possible unauthorised access. According to the board, investigators have not found evidence so far that the exposed documents were accessed by other parties or that any filmmaker’s account was hacked. The investigation is ongoing, and further details are expected after the review is completed.