A data dump was released today containing names and contact information for whistleblowers/complainants to the South African Police Service (SAPS). Normally an event like this would only rate a Level Two on the Gibson Index, but South Africa has some well-known issues with crime, and it's a reasonable expectation that some of the information revealed in this dump could compromise the safety of citizens who used the website.

SAPS initially denied that they had been hacked, but when approached with information confirming the validity of the dumped data they stated that they would 'reserve comment' for the time being. Presumably, they will perform an audit of their systems to find out how the data was leaked, and will release more information when that investigation is complete.

Related Links

• eNCA: EXCLUSIVE: Thousands vulnerable after SAPS website is hacked
• MyBroadband.co.za: SAPS website hacked, sensitive info leaked: reports
• Wikipedia on SAPS (because the name made me suspect a prank for a second ...): South African Police Service