August 1, 2025 | 04:30 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The leakage of personal data can lead to serious consequences, particularly when such data is misused or traded, potentially harming its rightful owners.
In recent years, cyberattacks have seen a troubling rise, especially those targeting sensitive and high-value data such as customer information. Cybercriminals often exploit this data for a range of illicit purposes, including fraud, extortion, and black-market trade.
"We’ve observed a sharp increase in cyberattacks targeting sensitive and valuable data, including customer records," said Bruce Hanadi, cybersecurity expert and Chief Information Security Officer at Snc.id, as quoted by Antara.
"Cybercriminals can use this data for various malicious purposes, such as fraud, extortion, or selling it illegally."
Bruce explained that data breaches can occur due to multiple factors, such as cyberattacks, internal errors, user carelessness, or security gaps in the applications and software used by companies.
Although Indonesia enacted the Personal Data Protection (PDP) Law in September 2022, preventive efforts remain essential. Below are some key steps individuals can take to safeguard their personal data:
1. Change Passwords Regularly
Frequently updating passwords is a basic but effective security measure. Avoid using the same password across multiple accounts.
If managing numerous online accounts feels overwhelming, consider using a password manager to store and generate complex passwords automatically across various platforms and browsers.
2. Avoid Public WiFi for Sensitive Transactions
Public WiFi networks are accessible to many users and typically have weaker security, making them vulnerable to hacking. It’s best to avoid performing important tasks, such as online banking or transactions, when connected to public WiFi.
3. Be Careful When Sharing Personal Information
Many services require personal data for registration or access. Only provide this information when you're certain the institution has robust security practices in place. Avoid sharing personal details indiscriminately.
4. Know Where Your Personal Data is Stored
Users and companies often fail to keep track of where their sensitive data is located. Personal data may not only exist in emails or documents but also in multimedia formats like videos, photos, and audio files. Identifying and organizing personal data properly is a crucial first step in protecting it.
5. Use Secure Methods to Store Documents
To keep documents confidential, store them in a protected folder or use a cloud service with password security. You can also store important files using a password manager, which can now handle more than just login credentials.
These tools can securely store medical records, contacts, financial information, and work-related documents.
Ananda Ridho Sulistya contributed to the writing of this article.
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