SINGAPORE - The Internet is abuzz with criticism of the National Day Parade (NDP) website over an apparent security flaw that allows hackers to steal data entered on the site.

Blogger Zit Seng first highlighted the problem in a post on Monday. The post has since gone viral with netizens criticising the apparent lack of security.

According to the post, an NDP sub-site that takes in citizens' e-balloting submission for NDP tickets does not use SSL encryption technology to secure its web communication. The sub-site, launched on Saturday, asks for people's full name, NRIC number, telephone number and citizenship information.

"It's almost a national embarrassment that a country with such advanced and developed infocommunications capabilities could not find someone better to showcase its most important national event on the Internet," the blogger wrote.

In November last year, the websites of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and Istana were defaced by hackers - although the Infocomm Development Authority said the intrusions did not compromise the integrity of the sites in any way.