Waze has rejected claims that its navigation app poses a security threat, following the government’s directive banning civil servants from using the platform.
“Claims that Waze collects sensitive government information or allows any entity to exploit personal user data are completely false.
“Waze operates under strict privacy policies that protect user data and comply with global legal data protection standards,” a Waze Mobile Ltd spokesperson told the New Straits Times.
Yesterday, the government ordered all civil servants to stop using the app with immediate effect.
Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar said the decision was made at a National Cyber Security Committee meeting chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, citing Waze’s Israeli origins.
Earlier today, National Cyber Security Agency (Nacsa) chief executive Dr Megat Zuhairy Megat Tajuddin warned that Waze could pose a significant security risk as artificial intelligence (AI) technology advances.
He said location data collected through the app could reveal users’ destinations and movement patterns, potentially allowing government officials to be tracked if the information fell into the wrong hands.
National Security Council (MKN) director-general Datuk Raja Nushirwan Zainal Abidin separately warned that civil servants who defied the directive could face disciplinary action.
Meanwhile, a report by cybersecurity technology firm ClearPhish reportedly found a database containing more than 7.6 million Waze user records being offered for sale on a dark web marketplace, Berita Harian reported.
The database allegedly contained usernames, unique user identifiers, GPS location data and travel histories.
If the records are authentic, the information could potentially be exploited for stalking, tracking travel routines and planning targeted attacks.
