KUALA LUMPUR – Ayer Hitam MP Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong has raised concerns over Malaysia’s implementation of the Central Database Hub (Padu), following a massive data breach at Indonesia’s National Data Centre (PDN).
Wee, who is MCA president, said that the cybersecurity breach in Indonesia should serve as a lesson for Malaysia, especially since millions of citizens were recently encouraged to enter their personal information online.
He warned that global hackers possess various methods to circumvent cybersecurity measures, and the government should not underestimate their capabilities.
“I pray that Malaysia learns from this incident. Hopefully, Malaysia will not be the next victim.
“This incident worries me greatly, especially since our people were previously asked to enter their personal information into the Padu system.
“Data security must be protected, and cybersecurity threats are severe and require special attention with effective control measures,” Wee said in a Facebook post today.
Last week, reports surfaced of a hacking incident against PDN, affecting at least 282 public institutions in Indonesia.
According to a statement by Indonesia’s Communications Ministry, PDN’s systems were compromised on June 20 using BrainCipher, a variant of the Lockbit3.0 ransomware, which blocks users’ access and disrupts services.
With 98% of all affected information rendered inaccessible without any backups, the attackers demanded an US$8 million ransom from Indonesia to release the data, which the government has refused.
Since the attack, digital services for immigration have been shut down, impacting the processing of visas, passports, and residence permits. This led to long queues at airports, but Indonesia claims this is now under control and automated passport scanners are back online.
According to a report by CPO Magazine, ferries in the country also experienced queues lasting for hours as computer booking systems were inoperable and employees had to resort to using pen and paper.
The data centre that was attacked is a temporary facility meant to be used until the completion of a high-security centre in Cikarang, West Java, which is currently under construction.
Given the scale of the attack, the Indonesian government may have no choice but to recollect all data from scratch. – June 30, 2024