The Ministry of Interior has arrested former staff members from the Ministry of Electricity and Water who organized a seven-member group aimed at hacking into the Ministry’s computer systems and manipulating consumer electricity bills who were reportedly working beyond official working hours.
Insider sources disclosed to Al-Jarida daily that detectives from the Electronic Crimes Department, acting on a complaint from the Electricity Department, conducted an examination of the ministry’s premises. Further investigations by the Cybercrime Department involved examining the ministry’s systems and servers. This examination revealed the presence of “user names,” with two of them no longer associated with the Ministry. This indicated vulnerabilities that had been exploited. Detectives successfully identified the employees involved and monitored the compromised site.
It was revealed that the investigators discovered a security staff member on-site who was colluding with two suspects. This security insider allowed unauthorized entry into the ministry premises during off-hours in exchange for a fee of 200 dinars per entry. This illicit entry was used to amend invoices, reducing the amounts payable by consumers.
Detailed information from sources within the Ministry of Electricity and Water indicated that those arrested, included former contractual employees affiliated with the Ministry. Upon detecting the hacking of computer systems and unauthorized changes to bill values after official working hours, coordination with the Ministry of Interior was initiated. The suspects were apprehended and referred to the Public Prosecution.
Sources highlighted that the intrusion into the ministry’s systems occurred due to existing “gaps” that the ministry had been attempting to rectify to prevent such criminal activities. This incident is not an isolated occurrence, as similar cases of bill manipulation and employee misconduct have previously led to legal actions.
Regarding the arrest details of the criminal group, a well-informed security source informed Al-Jarida that the Criminal Security sector within the Ministry of Interior, specifically the General Department of Criminal Investigation’s Electronic Crimes Department, received confidential intelligence. This information implicated an Arab national working at the Ministry of Electricity and Water, receiving bribes in exchange for altering electricity and water bill values owed to the state.
This revelation led to Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior for Criminal Security Affairs, Major General Hamed Al-Dawas, and Assistant Director General of the General Department of Criminal Investigation for Administration Affairs, Brigadier General Abdel Wahhab Al-Wahib, collaborating with the Cybercrime Department to track this information.
This was particularly important after initial inquiries from investigators at the Ministry of Electricity and Water regarding the billing system’s irregularities. The ministry’s response indicated that the system was managed by an external electronic company.
In a press release, the Ministry of Interior highlighted its commitment to enforcing the law and taking decisive action against anyone attempting to compromise the nation’s security and stability. The ministry affirmed that it had worked closely with the Ministry of Electricity and Water, utilizing research, investigation, technical tools, and confidential sources to expose a network of expatriates from various Arab countries involved in fraudulent activities related to electricity and water bill manipulation.
The Ministry of Electricity and Water also issued a statement confirming an attempt to manipulate bills within its automated system. It was noted that unauthorized individuals attempted to access the system using the names of certain employees.
The ministry’s customer services sector tracked down the site and reported the incident to the Ministry of Interior. In cooperation with the General Department for Combating Cybercrime, the individuals responsible were arrested. The ministry assured that the electricity and water consumption calculation system remained secure and that there was no unauthorized access to it.
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