PETALING JAYA: The immigration department’s official website, www.imi.gov.my, was hacked today by an individual called “CaptainSmok3r”.
A spokesman for the communications and digital ministry told reporters in a WhatsApp group the website was temporarily offline while the department and Cybersecurity Malaysia (CSM) worked to resolve the matter.
“The (immigration department’s) information technology and records division is working with CSM to strengthen digital security. We apologise for any inconvenience caused,” said the spokesman.
Checks online revealed that the page was inaccessible on both mobile devices and computers.
The message on the immigration department’s website, which was temporarily shut down in the early afternoon.
The department’s page title on Google search results showed “Hacked by CaptainSmok3r”, instead of being led to the official website.
Meanwhile, the department’s Facebook page did not disclose any information regarding the cyberattack.
Instead, it stated the website was temporarily shut down due to “maintenance work”.
The immigration department’s Facebook page said the website was undergoing ‘maintenance work’.
This is not the first time that a Malaysian government agency has been hacked.
Last year, a hacker group, dubbed Dark Pink, used phishing emails and advanced malware to compromise the defences of military branches in several Asian countries, including Malaysia.
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