Passports of millions of Kazakhstanis put up for sale? What the Interior Ministry found

Tengrinews.kz — The Ministry of Internal Affairs is investigating reports of the alleged sale of Kazakhstanis’ personal data. The ministry said that no cases of unauthorized access to the eGov portal have been recorded to date, citing Polisia.kz.
The ministry said reports about an advertisement offering the data for sale had not gone unnoticed. Law enforcement officers are currently working to identify the person who posted the advertisement and determine the source of the data being offered.
Authorities are also identifying individuals who may have been involved in the illegal acquisition and distribution of personal information.
The ministry stressed that the protection of citizens’ personal data is guaranteed by the Constitution. Under Article 21 of the Constitution of Kazakhstan, the unlawful collection, processing, storage and use of personal data, including through digital technologies, is prohibited.
The ministry said it is taking all necessary measures to identify everyone who may be involved in the possible violation. The investigation is under special supervision.

The day before, reports circulated on social media claiming that a hacker had allegedly put a database containing information on 15 million Kazakhstanis up for sale on the darknet. The file was said to be around 2.7 gigabytes in size and contain approximately 47 million records.
According to social media reports, the seller priced the database at 0.5 bitcoin, or around $32,000. The data set was said to contain citizens’ personal and contact information, including passport details, phone numbers, email addresses, employment information, scans of documents and passwords.
Note: The darknet is a hidden part of the internet that cannot be accessed through conventional search engines and requires special software. Due to its high level of anonymity, it is often used for illegal marketplaces and other unlawful resources.