Domain system accessed externally, minister says

Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Mohammed Ameen has said that an investigation is underway into the backend breach of the Matrix software used to allocate domains for vehicles. 

In the previous government, the President's Office had asked the Ministry of Transport to stop the sale of domains illegally.

At a press conference held by the Ministry of Transport on Wednesday, Minister Ameen said that license plates have been issued illegally by breaching through the backend of the 'Matrix' system used by the Ministry of Transport to sell domains.

“We can already see some details of licenses created by entering the back end of the Matrix system,” Ameen said.

Ameen said the extent of illegal entry into the system will also be checked. A forensic analysis and audit is being conducted, he said.

“With the visibility now, it’s certain that about 90% of the data is well secured,” he said.

There will be ways to check for irregularities, he said.

"If you have a legit registry, the government will get money. The same is true of the domain," he said.

"Whether via the backend of the domain, whether it is registered, there will be a way to make sure that a particular part taken from the office verification process is correct.... Money should have entered the finances. If money doesn't come in, there are two reasons. One is mistakes within the ministry. The other is that its been meddled with individually."

The work is being done to establish a good and valid data system and to make the information in the ministry secure, he said.

Domain licensing system has been irregularly infiltrated and will be reopened for sale of domains on a bidding basis.