Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) has expressed its concern over the latest set of alleged data leaks and the sale of Malaysian identity cardholders’ personal data on the internet.
This comes after tech website Lowyat.net reported that a dataset from the National Registration Department containing details of the country’s entire population born between 1940 to 2004 was put on sale on an online database marketplace forum.
As a result, millions of records from Putrajaya’s MyIdentity database have allegedly been sold online.
It is understood that 104 agencies have received permission to utilise the database.
TI-M noted a similar sale of voter and registration personal data of four million Malaysians in September 2021 on a different website called Raidforums - which has since been taken down.
“Not only is this issue a recurring threat to personal data privacy of all Malaysians, but there seems to be a lack of clarity and eagerness from the government to transparently disclose and discuss the best solution to these data privacy threats,” said TI-M president Muhammad Mohan (above) in a statement today.
On May 19, Bukit Aman’s Commercial Crime Department (CCID) launched an investigation into an online offer to sell millions of records from Putrajaya’s MyIdentity database.
In a statement, CCID director Kamarudin Md Din confirmed that police have received a report on the claim and assured the public that they would do the necessary to address the issue.
More robust cybersecurity system
Muhammad said that verbal guarantees of the strength of the government agencies’ firewalls will not suffice.
He urged for the government’s commitment to a transparent investigation into such breaches - with the investigation’s outcome to be shared with the rakyat.
“Next, the cabinet must study what is lacking in the PDPA and other existing legislation and discuss the findings and proposed solutions to support and strengthen the existing framework.
The TI-M president called for a more robust cybersecurity system to be put in place to ensure such breaches do not recur.
“In the brave new world of 5G, IR4.0, metaverses and space agencies, the country can not afford to be complacent towards the growing threat of cybercrimes and the vulnerability of personal data and privacy.
“We cannot rest on our laurels waiting for the irreversible to happen before we fence our home,” he said.
The seller, known only as actifedot, placed an advertisement for data on a hacker forum known as breached.co on April 29.
As proof, the seller included a “sample” with records allegedly belonging to Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin and a partial database which showed telephone numbers and addresses.
The starting asking price was US$10,000.
This is the second time in which personal data of MyIdentity users has been sold since late last year. The seller appeared to have some knowledge of Malaysia and used a popular Malaysian actress as a sample. - Mkini
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