In February 2016, an anonymous hacker or group of hackers uploaded a compressed 17-gigabyte file to the peer-to-peer hosting network, BitTorrent. Once uncompressed, the file expanded into a massive 20-gigabyte SQL database.
The attackers utilized SQL injection and known exploits in outdated software running on government servers. Many state systems at the time lacked uniform, modern security patches, leaving backdoor entry points open to persistent attackers. 2. Confirmed Compromise of Central Databases
The dump included names, national ID numbers (TC Kimlik No), addresses, birth dates, and parents' names. High-Profile Targets: The hackers specifically highlighted the data of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan , Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu , and former President Abdullah Gül Security Failures: turkish police data dump 2016 exclusive
The researchers from Bilkent University performed an automated analysis of the leaked records for nearly 50 million citizens and found:
Check the MD5 hash against the original 4D2F8A... (available via request to our forensic lab). Look specifically for the file GOLZAR_OPERATION.xlsx . If that file isn't there, it isn't the exclusive version. In February 2016, an anonymous hacker or group
: The data included sensitive internal police documents collected over a two-year period.
The 2016 data dump was an attempt to reveal the internal workings of the AKP power structure. While it did not lead to the immediate ousting of officials, it provided a raw, often chaotic look at how the party handled external relations and local politics leading up to the 2016 crisis. Many state systems at the time lacked uniform,
The availability of TC Kimlik numbers paired with addresses opened the floodgates for large-scale financial fraud, fraudulent loan applications, and identity theft across Turkey.
The data was leaked by an anonymous group and hosted on a website using servers located in Iceland. The attackers made the entire 6.6-gigabyte unencrypted database available for download via Peer-to-Peer (P2P) torrent networks.
Once inside the network, the attackers faced minimal internal compartmentalization, allowing them to map out and extract the entire system. What Was Inside the Dump?
The leaked data included: