The June 20 ransomware attack on Indonesia’s Temporary National Data Centre (PDNS) 2 and revelation of a lack of sufficient protocols for data backups have renewed concerns about the resilience of Indonesia’s digital infrastructure. On July 13, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Hadi Tjahjanto announced that only 86 of 282 services affected by the recent cyberattack on the Temporary National Data Center (PDNS) 2 have been restored, following the receipt of decryption keys from the attackers. The PDNS 2 cybersecurity attack comes in light of a broader wave of high-profile security breaches targeting key government agencies, emphasizing the need for the country to make significant strides in improving its data and cybersecurity governance.
In response, President Joko Widodo has ordered an audit of government data centers to address governance and financial issues, and Minister of Communications and Informatics (KOMINFO) Budi Arie Setiadi announced plans to introduce a regulation to mandate ministries and institutions to backup data. According to Minister Budi, only 44 of Indonesia’s government agencies had backed up their data due to budget constraints despite Indonesia being the 10th most targeted country for cyberattacks. As Indonesia seeks to bolster its digital infrastructure and cyber resiliency, the Council is organizing its Digital Economy Mission to Indonesia 2024 on August 27-28, followed by a Joint Workshop with USTDA on Advancing a Cybersecure Digital Domain through Industry Co-creation, to reaffirm U.S. industry commitment and support.
