JAKARTA – Ardi Sutedja, Chairperson of the Indonesia Cyber Security Forum (ICSF), has revealed the widespread operation of professional cyber syndicates acting as “paid hackers” to penetrate Indonesia’s political and governmental sectors.
These entities, described by Sutedja as digital mercenaries, operate strictly on a commission basis to provide illicit services that include system breaches and targeted cyber influence operations.
Sutedja alleges that these groups have been utilized by individuals and groups within the government, specifically noting that some were deployed during recent elections to manipulate outcomes and public perception. He did not name specific institutions or officials, but said the operations ranged from simple defacement of websites to sustained campaigns to discredit electoral bodies and candidates.
From Data Harvesting to Psychological Operations
Sutedja identifies the rise of this commercial hacking industry as a direct progression of the data misuse tactics seen during the 2018 Cambridge Analytica scandal. That precedent involved the unauthorized harvesting of personal data from millions of social media users to create psychographic profiles for tailored political messaging.
According to Sutedja, the current threat has moved beyond raw data exploitation. He states that paid hacker groups now integrate artificial intelligence (AI), cyber surveillance technology, and psychological operations to sabotage democratic processes and silence dissent. These techniques, he warns, can be used to micro-target voters, automate influence campaigns at scale, and overwhelm official communications from electoral authorities.
“What’s more surprising is how the impact of this scandal didn’t stop at raising awareness of the importance of data privacy. Post-Cambridge Analytica, the digital landscape has become even darker,” Sutedja said on Monday, June 15, 2026.
Indonesia has adopted a comprehensive Personal Data Protection Law, but Sutedja argues that enforcement and public understanding still lag behind the sophistication of these paid operations.
Tactics of Digital Intimidation
The ICSF Chairperson warns that these syndicates use technology to harvest deep personal intelligence without the knowledge of the target. Beyond hacking devices, these groups offer a suite of specialized services:
- Coordinated disinformation campaigns designed to erode trust in electoral commissions and courts.
- Organization of online harassment and synchronized smear campaigns against perceived opponents.
- Fabrication of fake public support and astroturf campaigns to promote specific vested interests.
- Use of stolen or leaked documents, such as emails, to delegitimize election integrity and undermine official results.
Sutedja reports that journalists, activists, and public figures are the primary targets of these intimidation tactics. He argues that such activities directly infringe upon civil rights and polarize communities, making it difficult for citizens to distinguish genuine facts from engineered narratives. The result, he cautions, is a public sphere in which independent journalism and watchdog institutions are increasingly vulnerable to digital coercion.
“One of the biggest dangers posed by these paid hackers is their effort to delegitimize election integrity,” Ardi emphasized. “In recent years, we have witnessed how these groups used leaked or stolen documents, such as emails or other sensitive data, to manipulate public opinion ahead of elections.”
He added that these tactics complicate the work of Indonesia’s election organizers and oversight bodies, which must now counter both physical and digital threats to polling stations, tabulation systems, and public trust.
Ransomware Trends in Indonesia
In addition to political influence operations, Sutedja highlighted a critical surge in ransomware attacks within the country that increasingly target public institutions and essential services.
The ICSF recorded the following data for January:
- Total ransomware cases: 50
- Data recovery success rate: 30%
According to Sutedja, several of those incidents involved regional government offices and state-owned enterprises, forcing temporary shutdowns of public services and diverting already-limited IT budgets toward emergency recovery rather than long-term resilience.
Framework for Mitigation
To address these threats, Sutedja calls for a multi-sector response involving the government, private sector, and civil society. He argues that cyber risks must now be treated as a core issue of governance and national security, not only as a technical IT problem.
He identifies three primary requirements for safeguarding the digital ecosystem:
- Elevation of national digital literacy, including critical thinking skills to help voters recognize disinformation and coordinated harassment.
- Strengthening of personal data protection protocols across ministries, regional governments, and political organizations, with clearer accountability for breaches and misuse.
- Establishment of cross-border cooperation to track and disrupt international hacking syndicates, including information-sharing with regional cyber response centers and law enforcement.
The ICSF maintains that these steps are necessary to preserve the integrity of the nation’s democracy and protect voters from oppression and intimidation. Without sustained political will, Sutedja warns, Indonesia risks entering future elections under a permanent shadow of digital manipulation and cyber extortion.
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