Thai government eyes stronger cyber defenses amid widespread data leaks

Thailand's government is moving to bolster its cybersecurity defenses after data leaks exposed sensitive information from at least 20 state agencies. The Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry plans to propose that the cabinet adopt measures such as multi-factor authentication and mandatory password resets for government systems.

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Agencies should change their system passwords to prevent access using compromised credentials.

Minister Chaichanok Chidchob stated that agencies must change their system passwords to prevent unauthorized access using compromised credentials. He also emphasized strict compliance with the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), warning that non-compliant agencies will face legal penalties. The ministry intends to pursue international cooperation to combat dark-web marketplaces that sell stolen login details, characterizing such activities as transnational crime.

According to Mr. Chaichanok, the recent leaks were not the result of direct cyberattacks but rather of criminals purchasing previously stolen usernames and passwords. Thailand has seen a significant accumulation of leaked credentials, with an estimated 60 million additional accounts compromised in the past year alone. Criminals can exploit these valid credentials to access government systems via application programming interfaces (APIs) and extract data without breaching the core cybersecurity infrastructure. Multi-factor authentication is deemed essential to strengthen access controls.

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The latest leaks were caused not by direct cyberattacks but by criminals buying previously stolen usernames and passwords from dark-web marketplaces.

Regarding personal data leaks affecting himself and other ministers, Mr. Chaichanok announced that the Bhumjaithai Party's legal team would file a police complaint. Cybercrime investigators have reportedly secured log files, IP addresses, and servers, and have identified the phone number used by the initial distributor of the leaked information. Further action against individuals who subsequently shared the data will depend on whether affected parties choose to file complaints. This incident follows earlier warnings from Dome Cloud CEO Thanarat Kuawattanaphan, who identified leaked data from 19 ministries and the Prime Minister's Office, encompassing 20 government agencies. Over 500,000 Thai citizens' records, including national ID numbers, household registration details, and vehicle registration information, were found among the leaked data, raising concerns about data retention practices.

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Multi-factor authentication is needed to strengthen authentication.