No cyberattack confirmed, but concerns over public trust remain
The Praya District Court in Central Lombok, Indonesia, has restored full functionality to its case tracking website after a brief but alarming incident involving a gambling advertisement that appeared via a Google search result. The disruption, which surfaced on the evening of 9 June and quickly spread on social media, led to widespread speculation about a possible security breach within the court’s digital infrastructure.
Gambling Ad Triggered by Search Redirect, Not a Hack
Contrary to early online speculation, the court’s internal systems were not hacked, according to Ikhsan Suhariadi, the Public Information Officer for the Praya District Court. The ad, which appeared linked to the court’s Sistem Informasi Penelusuran Perkara (SIPP) platform, was traced to a third-party redirect that affected search engine listings—rather than the site’s core functionality or security.
“When accessed directly through the domain, the website remained intact and unaffected,” Suhariadi explained. He emphasized that the issue did not compromise any legal data or court services. The SIPP platform serves as a publicly accessible system for monitoring case schedules and proceedings, and it continued to operate normally throughout the incident.
Swift Technical Response and Preventive Measures
The court’s IT team acted swiftly, removing the redirect and implementing a filter to prevent similar ad hijacking from recurring. The issue was resolved overnight, and additional monitoring protocols have now been introduced to ensure continued system integrity.
Suhariadi assured the public that the team is coordinating with technical experts to enhance domain monitoring and reinforce search engine link authenticity. “We are taking this very seriously—not just in terms of fixing the error but in maintaining public confidence in our digital platforms,” he stated.
Public Trust and Digital Transparency
While no sensitive information was compromised, the incident raises broader concerns about public perception and the challenges of managing government websites in an era of digital misinformation. Even without a full-scale cyberattack, the appearance of illegal gambling content—especially associated with a court domain—can damage institutional credibility.
As of Tuesday morning, the SIPP website was fully operational, with no further anomalies reported. Nevertheless, the incident highlights the need for constant vigilance and proactive cybersecurity strategies, particularly for public-sector digital services that serve as primary access points for legal and civic information.
