A hacking group, identifying itself as KillSec, has purportedly breached the online citizen services platform of the Kerala Police, known as the ‘Thuna’ citizen service portal. The hackers have demanded a ransom of 2,500 Euros and Rs 2.25 lakh to delete the stolen data, which allegedly includes citizens’ complaints regarding petty offenses, information about locked houses, and management of appointments with police officials.
The alleged breach was announced by KillSec on March 19 through its Telegram channel, where it invited negotiations with the Kerala Police through an encrypted messenger to discuss the ransom. Subsequently, the hackers published the purportedly stolen data on the dark web, which includes various complaints and information about citizen interactions with law enforcement.
India Today’s Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) team has reviewed the data, which encompasses complaints related to driving, parking, online harassment, and other civil issues. Additionally, it includes details about police vehicles, closed houses, and a Facebook advertisement for printing fake currency notes.
The alleged breach was initially brought to light by US-based OSINT specialist Sam Bent on LinkedIn. It's noteworthy that Tata Consultancy Service (TCS) was involved in revamping the ‘Thuna’ portal, according to information available on its website.
However, a senior police officer from the Cyber Operations Wing of the Kerala Police confirmed the breach but clarified that only user-side data, not police administration information, was compromised. The police have reportedly shifted the hosting of user data to internal systems to mitigate further risks.
The ‘Thuna’ portal provides a range of services, including access to General Diary entries, approvals for loudspeaker usage, submission of petitions, issuance of Police Clearance Certificates, tracking request statuses, downloading copies of First Information Reports, filing complaints for lost goods, and informing the police about planned strikes and processions. Additionally, insurance companies can collect motor accident-related documents through the portal.
