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Thai agencies hunt for hacker that allegedly holds 55 million people’s data

Thai authorities are hunting for a hacker who claims to have stolen personal data of 55 million Thais for ransom.
Thai agencies hunt for hacker that allegedly holds 55 million people’s data ảnh 1Illustrative photo (Photo: SHUTTERSTOCK)

Bangkok (VNA) – Thai authorities are hunting for a hacker who claims to have stolenpersonal data of 55 million Thais for ransom.

Local media cited Pol Lt Gen Worawat Watnakhonbancha, commissioner of the Cyber Crime InvestigationBureau (CCIB), saying that the CCIB has asked the Ministry of Digital Economyand Society (DES) as well as the National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA) to look into the case and find out whetherthe personal data was hacked or leaked by certain officials.

Previously, localmedia reported that a hacker named “9Near” posted on BreachForum - an electronic informationsite specialising in the sale and purchase of leaked personal data from publicagencies and private companies - that he/she is holding personaldata of 55 million Thais, including name, address,date of birth, citizen identification number and phone numbers.

On the website9near.org, the hacker threatened to reveal the source ofthe leaked information and make all the leaked information public if therelevant agency or organisation does not respond to the request for money before 4pm on April 5.The website also displays an online countdown timer.

DES Minister Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn said on March 31 that personal identification card data kept by theMinistry of Internal Affairs has not been leaked.

He said the ministry contacted the 9near website’s hostingservice, which is located overseas, to shut it down for possible privacyviolations, but has yet to receive an answer.

The ministry is also seeking a court order to block thewebsite in Thailand over possible violation of the Computer Crime Act of 2017.

Minister Chaiwut also said the leaked information did not appear to contain sensitivedata, such as medical records. He believes the information gathered by thehackers may have been taken from agencies or companies that have substandardcyber-security systems.

Chaiwut also warned that releasing other people’s personalinformation is a criminal offence and can result in five years in prison and/ora fine of up to 1 million THB (29,350 USD)./.

VNA
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