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| red team dark osint |
Can Newbies Hack Digitalized BANSOS? - With rise of digitalized BANSOS (social assistance), cyber threats are increasing even from “newbie hackers.” Learn how these platforms are targeted, why they’re vulnerable, and how governments can secure critical systems.
Digitalization of Bantuan Sosial (BANSOS) in Indonesia is a major step toward transparency and efficiency. Citizens can now access social aid programs faster and with fewer bureaucratic hurdles.
But with this digital transformation comes an uncomfortable truth: cybersecurity risks. Surprisingly, even so called “newbie hackers” attempt to test defenses of BANSOS systems. While they may not always succeed, their growing presence reveals important weaknesses in how sensitive public data is managed.
Can Newbie Hackers Really Break In?
Contrary to what movies or internet forums suggest, hacking government systems is not easy. Newbie hackers often lack advanced skills to perform sophisticated intrusions. However, that doesn’t mean they’re harmless.
Weak Password Guessing
Attacker flow (educational lens):
- Identify a login portal or remote service (email, VPN, RDP).
- Try most obvious default logins (like “admin/admin”).
- Cycle through lists of common passwords (“123456”, “Password!”, etc).
- If successful, escalate access inside system.
Phishing
Attacker flow (educational lens):
- Craft a fake message (email, SMS, chat) that looks like a real organization.
- Insert a malicious link or attachment.
- Trick victim into entering their username/password or opening malware.
- Use stolen credentials to log in, often from a different device/location.
Exploiting Known Vulnerabilities
Attacker flow (educational lens):
- Scan for outdated software or unpatched servers.
- Match target to a public exploit (often from GitHub/ExploitDB).
- Run exploit code to gain initial access.
- Plant persistence or pivot deeper into network.
Social Engineering
Attacker flow (educational lens):
- Research staff on LinkedIn, company site, or social media.
- Pose as IT/helpdesk/vendor, contact target by phone/email/in person.
- Create urgency (“your account will be disabled unless…”) to bypass skepticism.
- Get victim to share credentials, approve MFA, or grant access.
Red Team Perspective
From a red team standpoint, question isn’t “Can a newbie hack BANSOS?” but rather “What vulnerabilities would even allow them to try?”
By simulating actions of both amateurs and professionals, red teams help governments:
- Measure resilience against common attacks.
- Identify weak credentials or misconfigurations.
- Build stronger incident response strategies.
