The remarkable technological progress in Indonesia has brought with it an unforeseen and intricate challenge: cybercrime. Instances of scams, account breaches, and data leaks have emerged as pressing issues that demand attention. As a means of tackling these problems head-on, Indonesia finds itself in need of a significant pool of digital talents who possess the skills and expertise of white hackers.
During the Digiland 2023 event, Kartika Wirjoatmodjo, the Deputy Minister of State-Owned Enterprises, shed light on the urgency of this matter. He emphasized that recent cyberattacks targeting the banking industry served as a valuable lesson, underscoring the necessity for Indonesia to cultivate a larger number of individuals equipped with digital security prowess.
Wirjoatmodjo recognized the immense potential for young generations to pursue careers as security officers or white hackers, dedicated to probing and testing the data security measures within companies.
In this regard, he noted, “Currently, we still recruit individuals from Europe to conduct tests because there are no Indonesian white hackers as skilled as they are” (quoted on 11/7/2023).
Meanwhile, the ongoing surge in cyberattacks designed to extort and exploit data from Indonesian society has become a worrisome trend, infiltrating numerous institutions.
According to Data Indonesia, a data-centric portal, suspected data leaks amounting to a staggering 89 million records were reported during the period spanning from January 1 to July 6, 2023.
Delving into the specifics, these alleged data leaks occurred within various entities. For instance, the Social Security Administration (BPJS Ketenagakerjaan) experienced a breach compromising 19.56 million records on March 12, 2023.
Furthermore, BSI encountered a breach on May 8, 2023, while MyIndiHome suffered a massive data leak of 35 million records on June 27, 2023. In a separate incident, the Ministry of Law and Human Rights (Kemenkumham) experienced a breach compromising 34.9 million passport data records on July 5, 2023.
In light of these developments, the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (Kemenkominfo) reported a total of 35 data leak cases across Indonesia during the period from January to June 2023. This number surpassed the cumulative count of data leaks that occurred annually between 2019 and 2021.
However, it is important to note that several institutions implicated in these incidents have vehemently denied the alleged data breaches. They assert their unwavering commitment to safeguarding the data of their users through robust and comprehensive security systems.
To provide further context, it is essential to understand the role of white hackers, also known as ethical hackers. These individuals utilize their extensive hacking skills to identify and expose security vulnerabilities within hardware, software, and networks.
The term “white hacker” originated from the portrayal of heroes in old Western films, who were often depicted wearing white hats, in stark contrast to the villains, who donned black hats.
What distinguishes white hackers from their malicious counterparts, known as black hackers, is their adherence to the laws and regulations governing hacking practices. Many white hackers have transitioned from a background as black hackers, embodying a transformation toward ethical hacking.
It is crucial to emphasize that white hackers operate within the bounds of legality and authorization. Their primary objective is to uncover vulnerabilities and exploits only when explicitly permitted to do so, ensuring the protection and integrity of digital systems and networks.
