Indonesia’s National University Admissions Body (SNPMB) Allegedly Suffers Major Data Breach

Indonesia’s national body responsible for new student admissions into state universities, the SNPMB (Seleksi Nasional Penerimaan Mahasiswa Baru), has allegedly become the victim of a significant data breach. A post has appeared on a dark web forum claiming to offer the student database from 2024.

The SNPMB is a critical institution within Indonesia’s education sector, handling the centralized selection process for students entering public higher education institutions. It manages a vast amount of sensitive personal information for high school graduates across the nation.

The alleged breach was announced via a post on an online forum known for trading illicit data. The individual behind the post claimed to possess a database containing sensitive details of students. Screenshots shared as proof allegedly show samples of the data, including:

• Full names
• National Student Identification Numbers (NISN)
• National School Identification Numbers (NPSN)
• National Identity Numbers (NIK)

The sample format also suggests that email addresses might be part of the compromised dataset. The actor accompanied the alleged leak with a message criticizing the Indonesian education system.

If confirmed, this breach represents a serious threat to the privacy and security of thousands, potentially hundreds of thousands, of Indonesian students. The inclusion of NIK numbers is particularly alarming, as these can be exploited for a wide range of fraudulent activities, including identity theft, loan applications, and targeted phishing scams.