Turkish Citizens’ Personal Data Offered Online After Govt Site Hacked

Photo illustration: Unsplash/Sajad Nori

The hacked information that is being offered for free by the website in return for a membership signup includes ID numbers, phone numbers and information about people's family members.

More sensitive information, including full addresses, real estate deeds and education details, is being offered with a paid premium membership.

When BIRN accessed the website, it said that the personal data on offer includes information about high-ranking state and government officials including Erdogan and Turkey's main opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu.

Experts said that the data theft is the biggest yet in Turkey and constitutes a major digital security problem.

"First and foremost, access to this website should be blocked. Following this, a full-scale investigation should be launched," Sule Ozsoy Boyunsuz, a professor of constitutional law, told HALK TV.

The Turkish authorities have so far remained silent on the issue and the website remains accessible although it often crashes due to the high demand putting pressure on its servers.

e-Devlet, which means e-government, is the main public administration portal in Turkey, and includes personal information including details about education, health, banking credentials and tax status.

For several years, the e-Devlet website has been criticised for not being secure enough, but the authorities have dismissed the claims.