A ransomware attack on Avelogic’s SmartHRMS human resources and payroll system disrupted access for Singapore organisations that use it. The incident was detected on August 31, 2026, after attacker activity on August 30–31; the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) detailed the impact on its institutions in September.
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Which organisations were affected?
MUIS identified 48 mosques, four madrasahs, the Islamic Learning Hub and Management Office (ILHAM), and Mosque-Madrasah-Wakaf Shared Services (MMWSS) among the affected community-sector organisations. Avelogic also served affected clients in other sectors, which MUIS did not name.
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Was employee data stolen or encrypted?
The two encryption findings describe different things. The ransomware encrypted SmartHRMS databases and attached backups, disrupting access; Avelogic’s initial notice said there was no recovery point at that stage. Separately, Avelogic said core sensitive data fields already had application-layer encryption as a protective measure.
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An independent forensic investigation found no evidence of bulk data exfiltration in the available Amazon Web Services network telemetry covering confirmed attacker activity on August 30–31. MUIS likewise said investigations had found no evidence that a large amount of data was taken. Those findings do not establish that no data was accessed or taken, and the investigation was continuing.
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What did Avelogic and MUIS do next?
Avelogic said it isolated affected systems, revoked remote access and preserved forensic evidence. It engaged independent cybersecurity experts and subsequently recovered the affected data.
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17 Avelogic filed a police report on August 31 and notified Singapore’s Personal Data Protection Commission in its capacity as a data intermediary. MUIS said no ransom was paid.
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MUIS put alternative payroll arrangements in place so affected mosque and madrasah employees would continue to receive salaries on time. It said religious and public-facing services were not disrupted.
3 Data recovery was not the same as a safe return to service: investigations and security checks remained underway, and MUIS said SmartHRMS would resume only after the necessary safeguards and checks were completed.
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