Since the Internet has become a mandatory requirement for both agencies and individuals, a crucial aspect that has taken a lot of attention is the aspect of data security. We also hear about cases of website hacking through various media. Hacking a site is a cyber crime that can threaten data security. All parties also need to clean up in order to be aware of hacking during the 2020 elections.
The 2020 elections will be held soon in December 2020. For this reason, in order to maintain the security of applications and information systems and technology, the election organizers together with the government will again prepare a cyber security task force as it did in 2019.
The task force consists of internal members of the KPU, the National Siber and Sandi (BSSN), the Directorate of Criminal Siber Bareskrim Polri, and the Ministry of Communication and Information.
KPU sniffs that there is a tendency for hacking behavior on official sites on polling day. This is like what happened in the election counting information system of the general election commission (Situng) at the last 2019 general election.
Viryan Azis as a KPU commissioner said, for the sake of voter data security, the KPU has differentiated servers between the production of data storage and publication. So when there is a party that hacked, it will not affect the data. It also installed a number of devices such as firewalls.
Regarding hacking on the site www.lindungihakpilihmu.kpu.go.id which occurred on 15/7, viryan explained that the KPU was preparing a report to the Directorate of Criminal Acts at the Siber Police Headquarters. Hacking caused the site to be inaccessible for several hours.
The site hindungpartpilihmu.kpu.go.id is a page that allows voters to be able to check whether or not they are on the voter list in the Regional Election (PILKADA) simultaneously in 2020 independently.
Viryan also said that the site experienced a Ddos (Distributed Denial of Service) attack. This DdoS attack was an attack of more than one source which resulted in an overloaded system that caused the system to slow down.
Regarding voter data security, Viryan Azis said that hacking and data leakage can be minimized because the KPU has a voter data information system (Sidalih). With a separate publication site that will prevent hackers from attacking the server so that the voter data remains safe.
Voter data theft is anticipated. Now, KPU no longer raises all items related to voters’ personal data on KPU’s publication page.
KPU Chairman Arief Budiman said that the hacking of the protected site, for your election.go.id had experienced hacking and slowed down since 14/7. Nevertheless, voters’ personal data remains safe.
Arief likens hackers who try to hack it can only enter the site’s home page and can not penetrate into the house.
He also admitted, after the address of the site was published, the site has been attacked and the trend continues to increase. This attack did not damage the KPU’s site or application, but the attack made the KPU’s work slower.
Meanwhile Director of the Association for Elections and Democracy Titi Anggraini said that the election organizers need to ensure the protection of the personal data of voters collected. The aim is to guarantee the principle of confidentiality and fairness for voters. He said that the certainty of protecting voters’ data will make people especially those who have the right to vote, have a sense of security and trust in the authorities that their data is used correctly.
He said, if voters feel that their personal data are not stored safely, then it is possible for voters to show a less cooperative attitude.
Titi also requested that the KPU be able to keep voters’ personal data private and not publish it. This is important in order to avoid misuse by individuals and potential theft of personal data when hacking occurs.
Responding to the statement, Viryan said that the KPU had changed a number of arrangements related to voter data in order to avoid leakage of voters’ personal data. First, the data that will be displayed on the protected page of your election.kpu.go.id will not reveal voters’ personal data, such as date of birth and place of birth.
The data that will be displayed on the page is only the full name, gender, domicile to sub-district, not the address and polling number.
Data security is certainly important to be safeguarded, because every citizen has the right to feel safe when participating in state affairs.
