Delays with Visas, Immigration and Travel Following Cyber Attack on Indonesia’s National Data Center
A cyber attack last week impacted approximately 200 government agencies across Indonesia.
Disruption at National Data Center
A cyber attack on Indonesia’s National Data Center resulted in long delays and disruptions to government services, travel, immigration and visa processing last week. A ransomware group known as LockBit is said to be responsible for the attack which impacted approximately 200 government agencies across the country. The group was demanding $8,000,000 in ransom and has previously been involved in some other high-profile attacks, including an attack on Bank Syariah Indonesia (BSI) just over a year ago.
For the last week, there were considerable delays at airport immigration desks and for passengers boarding at ferry terminals. Standardly, these entry and exit ports use automated systems that were temporarily put out of service, meaning that staff members had to resort to checking passports manually and use paper-based booking systems.
Official announcement on social media posted on 20 June by the national Immigration office.
Cyberattack Impact on Visa Issuance
For our clients at Bali Solve, a point of concern was the status of visa applications. The system regained full efficiency on the 28th of June, meaning that visas are now being issued correctly. However, visas that were issued beforehand may contain some errors. We highly recommend anyone travelling at this time to carefully review any visa documents that you have received during this period to avoid issues at the airport or with overstaying. If you are planning on applying for a visa, it’s best to do so at least a month before you travel so you can ensure that you get it in time in case there are delays.
As of now, the Indonesian government has restored affected systems and has not paid the ransom. The data centre involved in the cyber attack was a temporary facility, which was built to be used until a high security centre in West Java is completed.
At Bali Solve, we recommend anyone travelling at this time to:
Allow extra time for immigration processes at entry points
Check all official documents and visas issued during this period for errors
Keep yourself up to date from official government channels
Apply for your visa at least 1 month in advance of when you plan to travel
Final Thoughts
Fortunately, things are mostly back to normal. However, we’d love you to have a smooth experience when travelling, so please prepare for delays and make sure you check and apply for your visa ahead of time so you can easily deal with any issues before they arise.
If you still have concerns, don't hesitate to contact us via Whatsapp or pay us a visit at the Bali Solve office in Pererenan.
Written by Team Bali Solve
