Website exposes searchable data of 85 million Turkish residents
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A turkish website called Sorgu Paneli (translates to Query Panel) is found to allow unrestricted access to personal data of citizens of Turkey like identification numbers, names, addresses, telephone numbers, and even bank account details. All the user has to do to access the personal data is obtain a free registration.
Paid members can obtain even more private information, including title deeds. By simply searching a person’s name and surname on the website, anyone registered as a member can easily access sensitive information.
The website, operating under the domain address Sorgu.live, currently has 5,195 users and also offers similar services on Telegram and Discord, with administrators actively promoting their services on Twitter and their own platform.
Privacy experts from Turkey state that all personal data, including that of relatives, bank details, title deed information, and addresses of every resident in Turkey, had been unlawfully obtained.
The expert condemned both the data thieves and the state authorities for their failure to protect citizens' data, pointing out the violation of the Personal Data Protection Law and the Turkish Penal Code.
It is estimated that approximately 85 million Turkish citizens and residents have had their sensitive information exposed by the website. The Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) of Turkey plans to file a lawsuit for compensation and lodge a criminal complaint against the Interior Ministry, which is responsible for safeguarding personal data.
MLSA urged affected individuals to assert their legal rights by pursuing compensation lawsuits and filing criminal complaints.
