KUALA LUMPUR – The Digital Ministry is investigating a potential data breach linked to the cyberattack on public transport operator Prasarana Malaysia Berhad.
In a statement today, the ministry confirmed that the Personal Data Protection Commissioner had directed Prasarana on August 26 to issue a Data Breach Notification after the ransomware incident.
“The Personal Data Protection Commissioner’s Office will carry out investigations to determine the nature of the breach and the date involved in the incident.
“It will also determine if there was any breach of the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 provisions, and determine what action should be further taken in the matter.
“CyberSecurity Malaysia, another agency under the Digital Ministry, will also provide technical assistance in this investigation process,” the statement said.
Last Sunday, over 300GB worth of private company files from Prasarana were published on the dark web following a ransomware attack against the company the previous week.
Cybercriminal gang RansomHub, believed to be operating from Russia, claimed responsibility for the hack.
While it remains unclear what Prasarana documents were released by RansomHub, the files published by the group suggest it comprises data about the company’s revenue, Touch ‘n Go information, projects, and human resource matters, among other things.
RansomHub operates a ransomware-as-a-service platform, where affiliates gain access to malicious tools to perform hacks.
With the ransomware in hand, hackers attempt to gain access to a company or entity’s network, possibly through a phishing email or other means.
Once a network has been successfully infiltrated, the company would not be able to access compromised files unless they pay a ransom to the hackers.
It is believed that because RansomHub published Prasarana’s files, the company may not have paid the ransom demanded to regain access to its network.
Prasarana has yet to respond to Scoop’s request for a comment on the matter.
On August 26, Prasarana confirmed that it was the victim of a ransomware attack in a statement to the press.
Prasarana said that the attack involved unauthorised access to the company’s internal system, adding that their cybersecurity team is handling the situation. – September 5, 2024