KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 646 data thefts were reported to CyberSecurity Malaysia (CSM) last year, a 1,192 per cent increase from the 50 cases reported in 2022.
The reports were channeled to CSM's Pusat Bantuan Cyber999 helpline.
The data thefts were among the 5,917 cyber security incidents reported to CSM, an agency under the Digital Ministry, last year.
Scams accounted for the bulk of cases (3,705), followed by data breaches.
In the first three months of 2024, a total of 142 data breaches were reported to CSM this year.
Based on this trend, CSM expects data thefts to continue rising if no measures are taken to curb the crime.
As such, CSM said organisations and internet users must adopt safety measures to prevent data breaches including those related to Personally Identifiable Information (PII).
PIIs include personal data such as full names, MyKad numbers, age, home addresses, phone numbers, and even salaries.
"PIIs can be obtained from websites that have been hacked and this data can be distributed and sold openly in forums," said CSM, adding the data is often purchased using cryptocurrency.
Other types of data breaches involve e-mail credentials and application credentials for access to emails and applications like "WordPress" and File Transfer Protocols (FTPs).
The impact of data breaches depends on the type of breach, data, and number of individuals affected, which can range from a handful to thousands of people.
CSM said sensitive data must be protected, not only to comply with the law and codes of ethics but to protect personal and business secrets.
Organisations, it said, must do more to prevent data breaches, including increasing capacity, while users must abide by cybersecurity best practices.
This includes refraining from opening e-mails from unknown senders and taking precautions when buying goods online or using social media.
It said users should check the legitimacy of the applications, portals, traders, products, and services before carrying out any online transactions.