Last week, Indonesia experienced a significant cyberattack that disrupted various government services, prompting President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to take action. The attack, which officials described as the most severe in recent years, affected operations at major airports and the immigration system. More than 230 public agencies, including ministries, were impacted by the attack, and a ransom of $8 million was demanded for the release of the encrypted data.
In response to the severity of the situation, President Jokowi directed the state auditor to conduct a comprehensive audit of the government’s data centers. This move aims to assess the governance and financial aspects of the affected data centers, shedding light on the vulnerabilities that allowed the cyberattack to occur.
During a parliamentary hearing, the chair of Indonesia’s cyber security agency, Hinsa Siburian, revealed that a significant portion of the government’s data was stored in compromised data centers without proper backup. This revelation raised concerns about the lack of governance and preparedness to address potential cybersecurity threats.
The Minister of Communications and Information, Budi Arie Setiadi, acknowledged that while backup capacity was available at the data centers, government agencies were not mandated to use the service due to budget constraints. However, in light of the recent cyberattack, the minister emphasized the need to make data backup mandatory for all government agencies to prevent similar incidents in the future.
In the wake of the cyberattack, there have been calls for the resignation of Minister Budi Arie Setiadi, with critics citing his alleged negligence in addressing cybersecurity issues. The digital advocacy group SAFEnet initiated a petition for the minister’s resignation, highlighting the growing concern over the government’s response to repeated cyberattacks.
Minister Budi Arie Setiadi attributed the cyberattack to a “non-state actor” motivated by financial gain and expressed confidence that government services would be fully restored by August. The attackers utilized ransomware, a malicious software that encrypts data and demands payment for its release. The specific software used in this attack, Lockbit 3.0, has been identified by the government.
As Indonesia grapples with the aftermath of this cyberattack, the incident has underscored the importance of strengthening cybersecurity measures and ensuring the resilience of government data infrastructure. The audit of the data centers and the steps taken by the government to address the vulnerabilities will be critical in enhancing the country’s cybersecurity posture.
The recent cyberattack has not only disrupted government services but has also raised concerns about the nation’s preparedness to thwart future cyber threats. As the government works to restore affected services and fortify its cybersecurity framework, the need for a proactive and comprehensive approach to cybersecurity has become increasingly apparent.
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