Website blocked by Thai Criminal Court to prevent information leak of up to 55 million individuals

The Criminal Court in Thailand pulled the plug on the notorious website 9near.org, preventing a potentially massive data breach that could have compromised the personal information of a staggering 55 million Thai citizens.

The crackdown began when the website 9Near – Hacktivist claimed to be armed with sensitive details including full names, birthdates, ID card numbers, and phone numbers, all allegedly sourced from vaccine registration records.

The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DES) took decisive action against the audacious hacker. While Thailand experienced a drop in data breaches between late 2022 and early last year, ominous signs suggest a resurgence of cyber threats this year.

According to a fresh advisory from cybersecurity experts Resecurity, the culprits behind this impending storm are the cybercriminals known as Naraka. Their illicit activities involve trafficking vast amounts of pilfered personal data obtained through breaches on multiple platforms. The primary targets appear to be Thai e-commerce, fintech, and government resources, focusing particularly on Know Your Customer (KYC) documents.

As the new year unfolded, Thailand faced a barrage of data leaks from consumer-centric platforms. A shocking 14 significant breaches were reported in January alone, with threat actors exploiting stolen personal information to defraud citizens and launch attacks on financial institutions.

In a chilling revelation, Resecurity disclosed an alarming incident on January 11, wherein Naraka attempted to sell a data dump on breachforums.is. The breach hit one of Thailand’s largest bookstores, Chulabook, affecting over 160,000 users, reported Infosecurity Magazine.

The breach exposed backend systems containing thousands of orders and customer records, prompting immediate action from the security firm, Chulabook, and the Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA).

In related news, cyber police widened their investigation following the arrest of the administrator of a secret group selling child pornography clips, with over 15,000 members and a membership fee of 100 to 200 baht. The arrest comes after the suspect was apprehended on drug charges on January 18.