MTCC denies hack of taxi line, blames employee for data leak
Concerns over the security of the platform emerged after the names of several drivers registered on the application were altered without authorisation.
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Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) has denied reports that the government's taxi application, Malé Taxi Line, was hacked, stating that user data was leaked by an employee who accessed the system without authorisation.
The company issued a statement on Sunday following reports that personal information linked to users of the application had been shared on social media.
The Malé Taxi Line project was launched by the government through MTCC in April. The service initially operated through a telephone hotline before expanding to a web-based booking platform. The mobile application was officially launched on 2 June.
Concerns over the security of the platform emerged after the names of several drivers registered on the application were altered without authorisation.
Subsequently, information belonging to users of the platform was circulated online. The leaked information included names, phone numbers, wallet identification numbers, email addresses, customer message histories, and ride records.
In its statement, MTCC said an internal investigation found that an employee had made unauthorised changes to data stored in the application's backend database, captured screenshots of information held within the system, and shared the material externally.
The company said the employee involved has been suspended pending further action.
According to MTCC, the employee acted without authorisation and was motivated by personal and political reasons.
The company stated that once the unauthorised changes were detected, the system was taken offline and placed under a security lockdown. MTCC said its servers and the Malé Taxi Line platform were restored and secured on Saturday night.
“Therefore, the company assures that customers will not face any difficulty in utilising the Malé Taxi Line service,” MTCC said.
MTCC added that disciplinary action permitted under company regulations would be taken against the employee involved.
The company further alleged that the actions were intended to damage public confidence in the taxi service and the reputation of MTCC.
