Alta reports possible investor data exposure after security incident
The equity crowdfunding platform said clients’ funds and assets were unaffected, while most affected investors had only contact details involved.
Alta Sdn Bhd said it discovered unauthorised access on Nov 5 to internal systems containing investors’ personal information. In an email notifying investors, the licensed equity crowdfunding platform said some personal data may have been compromised.
The company said investors’ accounts remained secure and neither client money nor assets had been affected. It reported no unauthorised account transactions or transfers involving funds or assets, and said its systems for trading and settlement were unaffected.
The information potentially exposed differed between investors. Alta said most affected investors had only their names, phone numbers and email addresses involved. Other potentially affected records included passport or national ID numbers, birth and nationality details, income tax assessment information, banking details and investor account information.
Alta said it had blocked the route used to gain access and tightened system monitoring and access controls. It had also informed regulators, including Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) and the Personal Data Protection Commission. An investigation remained under way.
The platform said it had increased checks for suspicious activity in investor accounts and established a team to assist affected investors. It added that password-related information had not been compromised, and account access continued to require a password and two-factor authentication.
Alta identified phishing as the principal risk, including messages or calls impersonating the platform. Investors whose more sensitive information may have been involved faced a greater risk of attempted fraud or identity theft, it said.
