Thai Court Blocks 9near.org to Avoid Exposure of 55M Citizens

The Criminal Court in Thailand has issued an order to block the website 9near.org after it threatened to expose the personal information of 55 million Thai citizens, supposedly obtained from vaccine registration records.

The site’s operator, known as “9Near – Hacktivist,” claimed to have accessed sensitive details such as full names, birthdates, ID card numbers and phone numbers. This prompted swift action from the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DES).

Thailand reportedly witnessed a significant drop in data breaches from late 2022 to early 2023. However, recent reports suggest a potential reversal of this trend in 2024. 

According to a new advisory by Resecurity, cybercriminals, identified as Naraka, are circulating large volumes of stolen personal information from various breached platforms. This includes attacks on Thai-based e-commerce, fintech and government resources, targeting “Know Your Customer” (KYC) documents.

The beginning of 2024 witnessed a surge in data leaks from consumer-focused platforms, with at least 14 significant breaches exposing citizens’ information reported in January alone. Threat actors are reportedly using stolen PII data to defraud Thai citizens and attack financial organizations.

Resecurity explained that a notable incident on January 11 involved Naraka listing a data dump for sale on breachforums.is, affecting one of Thailand’s largest bookstores, Chulabook, and impacting over 160,000 users. The security firm alerted Chulabook and the Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA), revealing successful access to backend systems containing thousands of orders and customer records.

Further data breaches affecting entities like the Bangkok Industrial Gas Company Limited and a stock trading platform emphasize the escalating cyber-threats in Thailand.

Read more on attacks targeting Thailand: Security Researchers Publish Gigabud Banking Malware Analysis

In light of these challenges, Resecurity called for robust cybersecurity strategies, stringent data privacy regulations and a culture of digital vigilance.

“Such measures are key not just for protecting the privacy and security of its citizens, but also for reinforcing Thailand’s stature as a dependable and secure player in the international digital arena,” reads the technical write-up.