Massive Alleged Data Breach Exposes Personal Records of 15 Million Kazakhstanis on Dark Web
A database containing the personal information of an alleged 15 million Kazakhstanis has surfaced on the dark web, with the seller demanding 0.5 bitcoin (approximately $32,000) for the 2.7 GB dataset. The seller claims the data was obtained by hacking the Kazakh government’s eGov portal, though this assertion remains unconfirmed.
The leaked records reportedly include passport details, phone numbers, email addresses, employment information, passwords, and document scans totaling 47 million entries. The sale was first reported by the Russian Telegram channel Mash, but the authenticity of the data has not been independently verified.
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development has denied the breach, stating that preliminary reviews found no evidence of a compromise in government e-services. Officials also disputed the seller’s description, noting that eGov does not store passport scans in the claimed format and that digital documents follow a different structure. Authorities are analyzing samples to determine the data’s origin.
This incident follows two other major data exposure cases in Kazakhstan over the past 14 months. In June 2025, 16 million records including names, identification numbers, and addresses were found publicly accessible. Investigations later suggested the data was compiled from multiple sources, some dating back to 2022, with no clear evidence of a direct hack. The case remains unresolved. In April 2026, police seized another database containing nearly 16 million records from a collection agency, though any connection to the current leak is unknown.
The timing of the alleged breach is notable, as Kazakhstan is rapidly expanding AI integration across public services, including eGov GPT and algorithms for social assistance and employment matching. While the government’s AI initiatives rely on secure data handling, repeated large-scale leaks could undermine public trust, even if the breaches originate outside official systems.
Kazakhstan has seen a surge in cybersecurity incidents, with 9,400 reported in the first quarter of 2026 alone nearly 80% involving malware. The Digital Ministry has pledged to release findings once its technical analysis is complete, though the source of the dataset remains unclear. If the records are recent, investigators will need to trace their origin; if older, the eGov hack claim may be an attempt to inflate the data’s value.
Source: https://timesca.com/kazakhstan-data-leak-15-million-people/
Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/ministry-of-artificial-intelligence-and-digital-development-of-the-republic-of-kazakhstan
"id": "MIN1786571379",
"linkid": "ministry-of-artificial-intelligence-and-digital-development-of-the-republic-of-kazakhstan",
"type": "Breach",
"date": "6/2026",
"severity": "100",
"impact": "4",
"explanation": "Attack with significant impact with customers data leaks"{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': '15 million individuals',
'industry': 'Public Services',
'location': 'Kazakhstan',
'name': 'Government of Kazakhstan (eGov portal)',
'size': 'National',
'type': 'Government'}],
'attack_vector': 'Alleged hacking of eGov portal',
'data_breach': {'data_exfiltration': 'Yes (allegedly sold on dark web)',
'number_of_records_exposed': '47 million entries (alleged)',
'personally_identifiable_information': 'Yes (passport '
'details, phone '
'numbers, email '
'addresses, employment '
'information)',
'sensitivity_of_data': 'High (Personally Identifiable '
'Information, government-issued '
'documents)',
'type_of_data_compromised': ['Passport details',
'Phone numbers',
'Email addresses',
'Employment information',
'Passwords',
'Document scans']},
'description': 'A database containing the personal information of an alleged '
'15 million Kazakhstanis has surfaced on the dark web, with '
'the seller demanding 0.5 bitcoin (approximately $32,000) for '
'the 2.7 GB dataset. The seller claims the data was obtained '
'by hacking the Kazakh government’s eGov portal, though this '
'assertion remains unconfirmed. The leaked records reportedly '
'include passport details, phone numbers, email addresses, '
'employment information, passwords, and document scans '
'totaling 47 million entries.',
'impact': {'brand_reputation_impact': 'Potential undermining of public trust '
'in government digital services',
'data_compromised': 'Personal records of 15 million individuals, '
'including passport details, phone numbers, '
'email addresses, employment information, '
'passwords, and document scans (47 million '
'entries)',
'identity_theft_risk': 'High (due to exposure of passport details '
'and PII)',
'systems_affected': 'Alleged compromise of eGov portal '
'(unconfirmed)'},
'initial_access_broker': {'data_sold_on_dark_web': 'Yes (allegedly)',
'entry_point': 'Alleged hacking of eGov portal '
'(unconfirmed)'},
'investigation_status': 'Ongoing (authorities analyzing samples to determine '
'data origin)',
'motivation': 'Financial gain (ransom demand)',
'ransomware': {'data_exfiltration': 'Yes (allegedly)',
'ransom_demanded': '0.5 bitcoin (~$32,000)'},
'references': [{'source': 'Russian Telegram channel *Mash*'}],
'response': {'communication_strategy': 'Ministry of Artificial Intelligence '
'and Digital Development denied the '
'breach and disputed the seller’s '
'claims'},
'title': 'Massive Alleged Data Breach Exposes Personal Records of 15 Million '
'Kazakhstanis on Dark Web',
'type': 'Data Breach'}