Cyber Incident Victim: Thailand's National Statistical Office
Date:
Dec 2016
Location:
Thailand
Summary
A hacker known as Gh0s7 breached Thailand’s National Statistical Office database and leaked stolen data online. The attack was conducted in retaliation against government arrests of multiple teenagers and hacktivists involved in the #OpSingleGateway cyber campaign targeting Thai authorities. The perpetrator claimed to act alone, explicitly citing the recent detentions as motivation. Officials had previously announced the apprehension of individuals linked to Anonymous operations opposing state internet policies.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 2 motives | 1 technique |
| Threat Actor | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 actor | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
On December 31, 2016, the hacker known as Gh0s7 infiltrated the database of Thailand’s National Statistical Office (NSO), compromising the government agency’s website at nso.go.th. The attacker publicly leaked the stolen data through the Mega file-sharing service, providing a direct download link to the information. Gh0s7 claimed sole responsibility for the breach, explicitly stating the intrusion was a retaliatory act against recent arrests conducted by Thai authorities targeting local hacktivists. The breach occurred following Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Prawit Wongsuwan’s announcement of intensified crackdowns on cyber activists. No technical details regarding the exploitation method, scope of compromised data, or duration of unauthorized access were disclosed in available reports.
The attack directly responded to the Thai government’s December 2016 arrests of nine teenagers aged 17-20 linked to the #OpSingleGateway hacking campaign against state websites. Authorities identified the detained individuals as members of the Anonymous collective participating in operations opposing Thailand’s proposed Single Gateway internet censorship initiative. Deputy Prime Minister Wongsuwan confirmed these arrests and warned of additional law enforcement actions targeting hacktivist communities. Gh0s7’s breach of the NSO—a government entity responsible for national census data and statistical reporting—represented an immediate escalation following these enforcement measures. The leaked data’s nature and potential impacts on citizens or government operations were not detailed in public disclosures. Thai officials did not release statements addressing the NSO breach’s technical or operational consequences at the time of reporting.