Malaysia probes reported leak of 46 million mobile users’ data

Mobile phone users in Malaysia (Photo: EPA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Malaysia is investigating an alleged attempt to sell the data of more than 46 million mobile users upon information about the largest data leak so far in the country.

The massive data breach, believed to affect almost the entire population of Malaysia, was first reported last month by lowyat.net, a local technology news website. It was reported to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

Salleh Said Keruak, Minister of Communications and Multimedia of Malaysia, stated that the MCMC is looking into the matter with the police. Authorised agencies have identified several potential sources of the leak and will able to complete the probe soon, he added.

Mazlan Ismail, MCMC Chief Operating Officer, said that authorised agencies met with local mobile operators for cooperation in the investigation.

The leak included personal data such as mobile phone numbers, home addresses, identification numbers and SIM card details of 46.2 million customers from at least 12 mobile phone and mobile virtual network operators (MVNO) in Malaysia.

More than 32 million people in the country could be vulnerable to cyber attacks aiming to gather personal information illegally.-VNA