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https://www.msn.com/en-ph/news/national ... r-AA1ifveo
Hackers break into House website
Story by Ed Paolo Salting,Ma. Reina Leanne Tolentino,Francis Earl Cueto
10/16/2023
THE website of the House of Representatives was hacked Sunday before it went offline in the afternoon.
A picture circulating online and on the main page of the House website showed a picture of a troll in the photo journal section.
"You've been hacked, You've been hacked. Have a nice day. Happy April Fullz kahit October palang! Fix your website, hacked by 3MUSKETEERZ," a message on the website read.
The press releases and committee schedules on the website were also altered.
In a Viber message issued on Sunday, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) confirmed the hacking.
"We are in constant communication and coordination with them [House] and currently investigating the extent of the said incident. We shall provide further updates to the public as soon as they are made available," DICT spokesman Assistant Secretary Renato Paraiso said.
House Secretary General Reginald Velasco said in a statement the chamber is "committed to ensure the security and integrity of our digital platforms, and we will implement additional measures to prevent such incidents in the future."
"For the moment, we advise the public to be cautious of any suspicious emails or communications that claim to be from the House of Representatives," Velasco said.
Several government websites have been breached recently, and in some cases, private information was leaked to the public.
The Department of Science and Technology reported a data leak that affected its OneExpert portal. The department said no sensitive data was affected but noted that some experts' data were involved in the leak.
The Philippine Statistics Authority was also the victim of a data breach that affected its Community-Based Monitoring System.
In the most serious incident, the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) came under a ransomware attack, with hackers stealing and leaking data to the public.
On Sunday, the Philippine National Police denied the database of its Forensic Group had been breached.
"As of press time, we can confidently state that all databases of the PNP Forensic Group, including DNA Codis, IBIS and AFIS, remain secure and unaffected by any breach," the PNP's Public Information Office said in a statement.
The Forensic Group is working closely with the PNP Information Technology Management Service and the Anti-Cybercrime Group, the PNP said.
"We want to assure the public that we have implemented robust cybersecurity measures and are conducting thorough vulnerability tests to further enhance our defenses against unauthorized access," it said.
Following the series of hackings of government agencies sites, a group called Pinas Forward has launched a new website, www.scamba.ph, designed to protect the public from cyber scams.
The site enables users to check whether the messages they receive via text or email are scam messages.
Scam Ba? provides information on a wide range of cyber fraud, including love scams, fake donation drives, and e-wallet scams.
The site has tips on how to identify and avoid scams and what to do if you have been scammed.
"Scammers are constantly coming up with new ways to cheat people out of their money," said Gian Paolo Pangan, president of Pinas Forward.
"Our website provides the public with the information and resources they need to protect themselves from these scams, regardless of their age, income, or education level," Pangan said.
Pangan said the website is easy to use and navigate, and it is available in both English and Filipino.
Scam Ba? is also mobile-friendly.
Pinas Forward encourages everyone to visit the website and learn more about protecting themselves from scams.
The site also has a blog with articles on the latest scams, as well as a forum where people can share their experiences and ask questions.
Scam Ba? is an initiative committed to raising awareness about scams and equipping users with the tools and knowledge they need to be safe from digital threats.