2024 Wrapped: The biggest tech stories of the year, and what's next

There was no shortage of innovation and disruptions in the technology sector in 2024.

- Osmond Chia

Here is an overview of key developments in the tech scene and what is to come in 2025.

NRIC NUMBER SAGA

A misunderstanding of an internal government circular and lack of coordination between government staff led to the disclosure of full NRIC numbers on business portal Bizfile, launched by the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (Acra) on Dec 9.

Bizfile users could freely look up the full NRIC numbers of registered individuals, including top representatives of businesses.

Acra shut down the feature on Dec 13. It did not reveal how many NRIC numbers were exposed during the incident, which raised concerns over an increasing threat of scams, as fraudsters could have used simple algorithms to collect the NRIC numbers exposed during this window at scale.

The Ministry of Digital Development and Information said the move by Acra, while a misunderstanding, is part of a larger government effort to do away with the masking of NRIC numbers.

This is intended to protect Singaporeans from the vulnerabilities and risks associated with the incorrect practice of using the number as a way to prove a person is who they claim to be, rather than an identifier, said Digital Development and Information Minister Josephine Teo.

The shift will begin with the public sector, but the impact on private businesses is unclear, as the authorities have yet to engage with them regarding their current practices of handling NRIC numbers. In the meantime, private organisations are urged to stop using NRIC numbers to authenticate users.

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