Malaysia bans civil servants from using Waze over security concerns

KUALA LUMPUR — The Prime Minister's Office has confirmed that civil servants nationwide are barred from using Waze, the GPS-based navigation application, due to concerns over data security stemming from the company's Israeli connections.

The ban encompasses all federal government agencies and applies to both official and personal devices used for government work. Officials cited potential risks associated with the collection and handling of location data and other sensitive information through the application.

Waze, which provides real-time traffic updates and route recommendations, is widely used across Malaysia by the general public. However, the government determined that the application posed unacceptable security risks for civil servants who may access or discuss sensitive government information while using the service.

The directive represents an expansion of data security protocols within the Malaysian civil service, reflecting broader government concerns about protecting sensitive location data and operational information from foreign entities. Agencies have been instructed to ensure compliance with the new guidelines.

No specific timeline for review or reconsideration of the ban has been announced. The government has not identified alternative navigation applications approved for official use by civil servants.