Brinztech Alert: The Alleged Database of the Uganda Public Service Commission is on Sale

Dark Web News Analysis

The dark web news reports a major data breach involving the Uganda Public Service Commission (PSC), the body responsible for recruiting personnel into the nation’s civil service. A threat actor on a hacker forum is selling a massive database allegedly stolen from the commission’s online job portal.

The dataset is substantial, weighing 7.5 GB, and is being offered for a startlingly low price of $300. The compromised fields are highly detailed and personal, including Surnames, First Names, Dates of Birth, National IDs (NIN), Villages of origin, and significantly, Personal Pictures (likely passport-sized photos uploaded for job applications).

Key Cybersecurity Insights

Breaches of government recruitment portals in developing economies carry unique risks due to the high value placed on civil service jobs and the specific nature of local identity verification:

• The “Village” Verification Vector: In Uganda, identity verification often relies on “Local Council” (LC1) or village-level confirmation. The exposure of Village and National ID data allows fraudsters to bypass these local checks. They can impersonate victims to obtain SIM cards, loans, or land titles by providing the exact village details that only a real resident would supposedly know.
• Facial Recognition Spoofing: The leak of Personal Pictures is critical. These high-resolution photos can be used to bypass “Know Your Customer” (KYC) checks on mobile lending apps or to create fake physical ID cards.
• Recruitment Scams: The most immediate threat is to the job seekers themselves. Scammers can use the data to contact applicants: “We have reviewed your application for the PSC job. Pay 50,000 UGX to this mobile money number to fast-track your interview.” Because the scammer knows the applicant’s name, photo, and village, the victim is highly likely to pay.
• Low Barrier to Entry: The $300 price tag is dangerously low. It puts this high-quality government data within reach of low-level scammers and “Yahoo boys,” guaranteeing widespread distribution and misuse rather than a targeted sale to a sophisticated actor.

Mitigation Strategies

To protect citizens and the integrity of the public service, the following strategies are recommended:

• NIRA Alert: The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) should be alerted that thousands of National ID numbers have been compromised.
• Applicant Advisory: The PSC must urgently warn all applicants via radio and SMS that they will never ask for mobile money payments to process job applications.
• Portal Overhaul: Suspend the current job portal to conduct a forensic audit. It is likely that an unrestricted file upload vulnerability or SQL injection allowed the breach.
• Password Reset: Force a mandatory password reset for all user accounts on the PSC platform.

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