Indonesia Probes Alleged Massive Taxpayer Data Breach

Indonesia's tax agency is scrutinizing a potential data breach that reportedly exposed the taxpayer ID numbers of millions, including President Jokowi and his cabinet. This incident is part of a rising trend of cyber-attacks attributed to poor data protection measures. The agency and experts stress the urgency in addressing this vulnerability.

Indonesia's tax agency is currently investigating an alleged data breach that may have compromised the taxpayer identification numbers of millions of Indonesians, including President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo, his ministers, and his two sons, according to an official statement.

In recent years, a series of cyber-attacks have targeted both Indonesian companies and government agencies. Experts believe that these attacks are facilitated by the government's insufficient protection of personal data. Teguh Aprianto, a cybersecurity expert, revealed a screenshot on social media showcasing the national identity and taxpayer identification numbers of 6 million Indonesians, including those of the president and several ministers.

Responding to the incident, Dwi Astuti, an official from the tax agency, stated on Wednesday that the agency is investigating the 'circulating information of a data breach,' but has yet to provide specific details. President Jokowi acknowledged on Thursday that data breaches are a global concern and urged relevant ministries to address these issues urgently. The breach could lead to targeted attacks that may result in both material and immaterial losses, according to Teguh. This latest incident follows a ransomware attack in June that crippled several government services, including immigration and airport operations, prompting a government audit.

(With inputs from agencies.)