This story was first published on our English-focused website www.therakyatpost.com
There were claims on social media that data from the MyKads of 17 million Malaysians had been leaked and up for sale on the dark web.
As proof, pictures showing samples of Malaysian Identification Cards (ICs) were shared on the dark web.
Based on the images, some netizens said it looked like the ICs were from e-KYC verifications and wondered where the source of the leak was.
Nacsa is investigating MyKad leak claims
Due to the potential massive data breach, the National Cyber Security Agency (Nacsa) has launched an investigation into the claims.
According to current reports, Nacsa’s experts are working to verify the claims and assess the extent of the possible data leak.
For the time being, the public is advised to monitor their bank accounts and credit reports for suspicious transactions.
They’re also reminded to be wary about receiving calls or messages from unknown numbers, especially messages containing any links or attachments. If it needs to be said again, please don’t click on the link or open any attachments from people you don’t know.
In April 2023, the government instructed Malaysian telecommunication companies to block any URL links in short message service(SMS) to prevent further fraud cases.
However, these scams persist today with some unwitting victims falling prey and losing hard-earned money.
READ MORE: Gov Instructs Malaysian Telcos To Block SMS Links To Prevent Scams
READ MORE: Scam Links In SMS Still Happening
Previously, Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said his ministry would thoroughly assess calls for the government to be made liable for personal data leaks.
The Digital Ministry, through the Personal Data Protection Commissioner’s Office, had received complaints and reports of personal data leaks from other agencies, including the Royal Malaysia Police, Bank Negara Malaysia, and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
This is not the first or last time Malaysians have gone through data leaks. In 2023, a hacker group attacked the Social Security Organisation (Perkeso) and leaked personal information such as MyKad numbers, salaries, addresses and phone numbers.
READ MORE: Public Invited To File Class Action Lawsuit Against Perkeso Over Data Leak
In August this year, more than 300GB of Prasarana Malaysia Bhd’s private data was allegedly leaked by the cybercriminal gang RansomHub. The gang also demanded a ransom of an undisclosed sum.
READ MORE: MyKad Set for a Major Upgrade with Advanced Security Features
