Waze Poses National Security Risks, NACSA Chief Warns

CYBERJAYA, Oct 22 (Bernama) -- The use of navigation app Waze poses significant national security risks as its new terms of service are subject to Israeli law, National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA) chief executive Dr Megat Zuhairy Megat Tajuddin said.

He said a study conducted by NACSA on Aug 1 identified the potential misuse of Malaysians’ location data and daily movement patterns by external parties.

“We need to take proactive measures to prevent Malaysians’ data from being exposed, particularly information related to their navigation and movements, when such data is subject to Israeli law,” he said at a briefing on current national security issues here today.

Also present was National Security Council (MKN) director-general Datuk Raja Nushirwan Zainal Abidin.

Megat Zuhairy said advances in artificial intelligence (AI) could heighten the risks if such data fell into the wrong hands.

He said location data could be used to improve efficiency and provide other benefits, but its exposure to criminals could pose a serious threat given the capabilities of current AI technology.

He added that detailed information on the locations, routes and daily routines of civil servants could potentially be tracked by foreign entities, threatening national security and sovereignty.

Although the current ban on Waze applies only to civil servants, Megat Zuhairy urged all Malaysians to take proactive steps to protect their personal data, stressing that cybersecurity was a shared responsibility.

“I urge all Malaysians to uninstall Waze and stop using the app to protect their personal data from parties that could pose a threat to national security,” he said.

In a circular dated Oct 20, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar announced that the ban on Waze among civil servants took effect immediately to prevent the leakage of government information.

As an alternative, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had encouraged the public to use TuJu, a local navigation app developed by the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM).

-- BERNAMA