Brinztech Alert: Database of Gobierno de Jalisco is on Sale

Dark Web News Analysis

A threat actor on a known cybercrime forum is claiming to sell a database that they allege was stolen from the public water services of the Gobierno de Jalisco (Government of Jalisco) in Mexico. According to the seller’s post, the data originates from two specific water authorities, SIAPA Jalisco and SEAPAL Puerto Vallarta, and contains the records of 1,246,000 users. The purportedly compromised information is highly sensitive, including full names, addresses, fiscal data, and detailed water consumption data. The actor is using a double-extortion tactic, offering the full database for sale for $500 while also issuing a ransom demand of $10,000 to the government.

This claim, if true, represents a significant data breach of a critical public utility. A database containing the personal and consumption data of over a million citizens is a powerful tool for criminals. It enables them to launch highly effective and convincing scams by impersonating the water authority. A confirmed breach would also be a major blow to public trust in the local government’s ability to protect its residents’ data.

Key Cybersecurity Insights

This alleged data breach presents a critical and targeted threat to the citizens of Jalisco:

• A Toolkit for Highly Targeted Utility Scams: The most severe and immediate risk is the use of this data for sophisticated fraud. With a resident’s name, address, and their actual water consumption data, criminals can create extremely convincing fake “overdue bill” notices to trick them into making fraudulent payments.
• Double-Extortion Tactic: The actor’s strategy of both selling the data cheaply and ransoming it for a higher price is a common double-extortion tactic. It is designed to maximize their profit by creating pressure on the victim (the government) to pay the ransom, while simultaneously ensuring the data gets distributed to other criminals.
• Breach of Critical Public Service Data: A public water utility is a critical service. ¹ A breach of its customer and fiscal data is a significant failure of public data security and can erode citizen trust in the local government’s ability to manage its digital infrastructure.   Water Infrastructure Resilience | US EPA www.epa.gov

Mitigation Strategies

In response to a claim of this nature, the Government of Jalisco and its citizens must be vigilant:

• Launch an Immediate Investigation by State Authorities: The Government of Jalisco, in coordination with Mexico’s national cybersecurity authorities, must immediately launch a high-priority investigation to verify this claim and identify the source of the leak within its water authorities.
• Issue a Public Alert to All Jalisco Residents: A widespread public service announcement is crucial for the residents of Jalisco. They must be warned about the high risk of convincing scams related to their water bills and should be advised to only make payments through official, verified government channels and not through links in unsolicited messages.
• Conduct a Comprehensive Security Overhaul of all Utility Systems: This incident, if confirmed, should trigger a mandatory, state-wide security audit of all public utility databases (water, electricity, etc.). A thorough review of security measures, including access controls, data encryption, and employee training, is necessary to prevent future breaches.

Secure Your Organization with Brinztech As a cybersecurity provider, we can protect your business from the threats discussed here. Contact us to learn more about our services.

Questions or Feedback? For expert advice, use our ‘Ask an Analyst’ feature. Brinztech does not warrant the validity of external claims. For general inquiries or to report this post, please email us: contact@brinztech.com