KUALA LUMPUR: The Social Security Organisation (Socso) has given its assurance that the agency's system, database and website, which hackers attacked on Saturday (Dec 2), will not disrupt services to contributors, employers and the public.

Socso said that all payments of benefits, compensation and disability pension to the contributors and next-of-kin will still be carried out according to the stipulated period.

It said that the crisis management plan was also activated on the day the attack was made.

"At the initial stage, the modus operandi of the cyber attack was identified as aiming to disable the entire Sosco infrastructure used for daily operations.

"However, the Socso's information and communication technology (ICT) unit's success in regaining control of the system eventually caused the hackers to change their tactics, by attempting to launch a character assassination attack against the agency's image," Socso said in a statement.

Regarding the leakage of information displayed on the dark web, Socso said that according to the results of the preliminary investigation, the validity of the data stolen by hackers was highly doubtful, incomplete and expired.

"This cyber attack against Socso is not the first time, but rather a series of intrusions, with the last one occurring in September and being successfully contained.

"This irresponsible act is an attack which targets national interests. Therefore, all forensic results will be shared with the authorities to avoid the same episode repeating itself against other agencies," read the statement.

-- BERNAMA