A breach of a government-managed citizen services database has exposed the personal information of millions of residents, including names, national identification numbers, addresses, tax records, and voter registration data. The attack, which targeted a legacy database system used by multiple government agencies, has raised serious questions about the state of cybersecurity in public sector infrastructure.

Government officials confirmed the breach after being alerted by a cybersecurity research firm that discovered evidence of the data being sold on a dark web marketplace. Investigators believe the data was exfiltrated over a period of several months, suggesting the attackers had persistent, undetected access to the systems.

The breach has sparked outrage among citizens and opposition politicians, who are calling for a full independent inquiry into how such a significant database could have been left so vulnerable. Critics point to years of underinvestment in government IT infrastructure as a root cause.

"We are dealing with the consequences of decisions made — or not made — over more than a decade," said a cybersecurity policy expert. "Government agencies have repeatedly delayed modernization projects, and this breach is the inevitable result."

Authorities are urging affected citizens to be vigilant against phishing attempts and identity theft schemes that may use their personal information. The national cybersecurity agency has set up a dedicated hotline and online portal where residents can check whether their data was included in the breach.