Data Leak Exposes Personal Information of Over 16 Million Kazakhstanis

A major data leak has exposed the personal information of over 16 million Kazakhstanis, with records updated as recently as 2024, Orda.kz reports.

According to the Telegram channel SecuriXy.kz, which focuses on information security, the breach occurred on June 13. A 799 MB archive containing a 7.03 GB CSV file was released online, comprising over 16.3 million entries. The leaked data includes full names, individual identification numbers (IINs), birth dates, citizenship, home and work addresses, and more than 17 million phone numbers.

The dataset also contains information about workplaces and institutions such as clinics, universities, and government agencies, as well as residence details and durations. Analysts note that the archive holds 15.8 million unique IINs and nearly 17 million unique phone numbers.

While most entries are dated 2022, the archive also includes data from 2023 and 2024, suggesting the breach is recent and poses a legitimate risk. Experts warn that the data could be exploited for phishing, document forgery, unauthorized access to government and banking services, and phone scams.

Information security specialists identify three likely sources of the leak: vulnerable public APIs from government platforms, cyberattacks on misconfigured systems, and unauthorized data exports from integration services.

Earlier, authorities announced the dismantling of a criminal network selling personal data through Telegram. Over 140 individuals were detained.

Original Author: Ruslan Loginov