A hacker has claimed to have stolen and posted a database containing the personal information of 15 million Kazakhstanis. The file, titled “Residents of Kazakhstan 2024,” was reportedly made available for free download on a hacker forum. The Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development is currently reviewing the claims, though it has stated that there is no confirmed evidence of a breach within e-government information systems.
In a statement issued via Telegram, the ministry noted inconsistencies between the hacker’s claims and the structural design of the eGov platform. Cybersecurity experts consulted by RFE/RL have suggested that the data could have originated from semi-open government service APIs, unauthorized downloads from integration systems, or the hacking of poorly configured platforms. Analysis from SecuriXy.kz indicates that while most records are dated 2022, the archive also contains data from 2023 and 2024, heightening concerns regarding potential risks such as phishing, document forgery, phone fraud, and attacks on mobile banking or eGov accounts.
This is not the first time the government has addressed such allegations. In July 2025, the ministry—then known as the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry—downplayed a similar incident, asserting that the data in circulation was outdated information from 2022, sourced from previous leaks and supplemented by users with official access. Furthermore, in June 2025, authorities successfully detained a network of over 140 individuals accused of selling personal data through Telegram.
The incident occurs as Kazakhstan accelerates its digital transformation. The government declared 2026 the “Year of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence” and passed Central Asia’s first comprehensive AI law in late 2025. Additionally, the country recently finalized a $10 billion agreement with Firebird and Nvidia to develop a Data Center Valley in Ekibastuz. A presidential decree issued in May 2026 also expanded the responsibilities of the National Security Committee (KNB), tasking the agency with a direct role in the nation’s ongoing AI infrastructure development.
