Jakarta, INTI - Recently, Indonesia was once again shaken by the news of a data breach involving the Taxpayer Identification Number (Nomor Pokok Wajib Pajak or NPWP), including the personal information of several high-ranking officials. This incident adds to the long list of data security breaches that have been occurring more frequently in the country. The question is, how safe is our personal data in this digital age? Is Indonesia's data security merely an illusion, or are we facing a much more serious problem?
The Increasing Rate of Data Breaches in Indonesia
This NPWP data breach does not come as a surprise to those closely monitoring Indonesia’s cybersecurity landscape. In 2020, over 200 million personal data records from BPJS Kesehatan (Social Security Administration) users were reported to have been leaked and sold on the dark web. In the same year, the e-commerce platform Tokopedia saw the leak of 91 million user accounts. This data was subsequently sold on the dark web, creating widespread public concern.
According to a report from the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Indonesia faced over 1.6 billion cyberattacks in 2021, a significant increase from 1.2 billion attacks the previous year. These figures place Indonesia among the countries most vulnerable to cyber threats in Asia.
Why Did NPWP Data Get Leaked?
This NPWP data breach raises questions about the protection systems used by government agencies. Many experts believe that the security technologies employed by various institutions in Indonesia are inadequate to deal with increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
Outdated Security Systems: Many systems used by government agencies rely on outdated technology that was not designed to withstand modern cyberattacks. This leaves the system vulnerable to security gaps that hackers can exploit.
Insufficient Encryption: One of the main reasons for data breaches is the lack of strong encryption. Encryption should act as the final barrier protecting data, but when not implemented properly, it can be easily accessed by unauthorized parties.
Weak Authentication Methods: Many systems in Indonesia have yet to adopt Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), which adds an extra layer of security by requiring more than one form of verification before access is granted.
Lack of Cybersecurity Awareness: Employees handling data often lack a full understanding of the importance of security measures. Cybersecurity training and awareness are often neglected, leaving room for human errors that hackers can exploit.
The Illusion of Data Protection: What’s Really Happening?
As more and more personal data is collected and stored by government institutions and private companies, questions arise about how secure this data really is. Some believe that the NPWP data breach is proof that our data protection in the digital age is merely an illusion.
A survey conducted by the Indonesian Survey Institute found that 72% of Indonesian citizens feel that their personal data is not fully secure from breach threats. This highlights the growing public distrust in digital data protection.
Steps That Must Be Taken to Prevent Further Breaches
To address the ongoing problem of data breaches, the government and relevant institutions need to make significant updates to their data security systems. Some of the steps that can be taken include:
Implement Stronger Encryption: Advanced encryption that is difficult for hackers to break should be adopted immediately. Properly encrypted data will be far more difficult to exploit, even if stolen.
Adopt AI for Early Threat Detection: Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based systems can help detect potential threats early and enable quick responses before data is stolen.
Implement MFA Across All Sectors: Implementing MFA in all systems handling sensitive data will significantly minimize unauthorized access.
Provide Cybersecurity Training for Employees: All employees handling personal data should undergo regular cybersecurity training so they can better understand and anticipate cyber threats.
The NPWP data breach is not just a technical issue, but a serious warning about the lack of data protection in Indonesia. If necessary actions are not taken immediately, similar breaches will likely continue to occur, endangering the privacy and security of the public. Data protection is not something that can be ignored, and the government must strengthen its regulations and technological infrastructure to ensure that data security is truly guaranteed.
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