News Roundup 20 April 2023
Apr 20, 2023 • 4 min Read
For weeks, PNP staff database was exposed – cyber expert | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — An unprotected database containing more than a million identity documents and private records of Philippine National Police personnel and applicants was exposed online for at least six weeks before access to the data was restricted in March, according to a report by a cybersecurity tracker.
The PNP, however, has yet to confirm whether a data breach did occur, while its Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) has launched an investigation.
In a report published on the vpnMentor website on Tuesday, cybersecurity researcher Jeremiah Fowler reported the exposure of a nonpassword-protected database containing over 1.2 million records, mostly of personal documents of police officers and other employees, as well as of applicants.
The 817.54-gigabyte database contained scanned and photographed copies of original documents, including birth certificates, educational record transcripts, diplomas, tax filing records, passport, and police identification cards, according to Fowler’s report.
There were also clearances issued by the PNP, National Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Internal Revenue, and Civil Service Commission, among other documents with fingerprint scans and signatures of the owners, the report showed.
Full Story at: For weeks, PNP staff database was exposed – cyber expert | Inquirer News
DICT: Probe underway on alleged breach of 1.2M records | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — The alleged data breach involving over 1.2 million records of law enforcement agencies is already being investigated by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
The government agency on Thursday said its Cybersecurity Bureau and National Computer Emergency Response Team (NCERT) have “doubled down on its investigation on the matter.”
“The DICT considers the incident as a grave concern that threatened the confidentiality, integrity, and privacy of user data. The department assures the public that investigation on the matter is underway,” it said in a statement.
The DICT also called on all government agencies to coordinate with the agency in bolstering their cybersecurity measures.
“Cybersecurity should be a concerted effort of everyone and all agencies are encouraged to seek assistance to help secure their respective cyber assets,” it stressed.
An unprotected database containing some 1.28 million identity documents and private records of personnel and applicants of the Philippine National Police (PNP) was exposed online and discovered by cybersecurity tracker vpnMentor in mid-January.
Full Story at: DICT: Probe underway on alleged breach of 1.2M records | Inquirer News
Bantag says he wishes to surrender — Remulla | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Former Corrections chief Gerald Bantag, who is facing warrants over the killing of radio broadcaster Percy Lapid and the middleman in the case, has sent feelers for surrender, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Thursday.
Speaking to reporters, Remulla said: “He (Bantag) spoke to my colleague, one of my colleagues in the Cabinet to say that he may wish to surrender.”
“That’s why we are not pushing for law enforcement to hurry up the process,” Remulla continued, although he acknowledged that authorities are tasked to implement the warrant.
Full Story at: Bantag says he wishes to surrender — Remulla | Philstar.com
CPP confirms deaths of top leaders Tiamzons, claims they were tortured and killed | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines (Updated 2:52 p.m.) — The Communist Party of the Philippines confirmed Thursday the deaths of their top leaders Benito Tiamzon and Wilma Austria-Tiamzon, whom they claimed were tortured and killed by government troops last August 21.
The CPP said in a statement it took months of investigation for them to confirm the deaths of Benito or “Ka Laan”, chairperson of their central committee, and Wilma or “Ka Bagong-tao”, their secretary-general, who had long been speculated to have died in a boat explosion off Samar’s coast during an operation by the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
But the CPP countered this, saying the unarmed Tiamzons and eight other rebels were flagged down when they were travelling to Catbalogan City, held captive, tortured and killed. Their bodies were then supposedly dumped on a motorboat with explosives which was then detonated, the CPP claimed.
“According to the information gathered by the Central Committee, the Tiamzons suffered severe beating in the hands of their captors. Internal reports cited witnesses who saw how the faces and bodies of the victims were smashed, apparently beaten with hard objects,” the CPP said.
“The claimed mid-sea firefight and explosion were all a drama hatched by the AFP and its US military advisers, to hide all evidence of the ignominy of their fascist crime.”
Along with the Tiamzons, CPP subregional secretary in Eastern Visayas Joel Arceo or “Ka Divino”, and members of the guerrilla force of the central headquarters Ka Yen, Ka Jaja, Ka Matt, Ka Ash, Ka Delfin, Ka Lupe, Ka Butig were killed.
Full Story at: CPP confirms deaths of top leaders Tiamzons, claims they were tortured and killed | Philstar.com
