IT experts condemn defacement of Chinese websites

MANILA, Philippines - Information and communications technology (ICT) experts from the government condemned yesterday the recent defacement of Chinese websites by Filipino hacker groups. “The recent alleged defacement of foreign websites by local hacker groups is not condoned nor encouraged by the Philippine government,” said Louis Casambre, executive director of the Information and Communications Technology Office of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-ICTO).

“We understand the concern of our local hacker community on this issue. However, exchanges such as this one will not benefit anyone and could lead to bigger problems in the future for both countries concerned and could escalate the already tense situation in Panatag Shoal,” he said.

Filipino hackers struck back last Saturday at Chinese websites after hackers, apparently from China, defaced the official website of the University of the Philippines on Friday.

Malacañang said on Monday that three of its official websites were attacked by hackers whose IP (Internet Protocol) addresses are assigned to Chinese networks. “Attempts at distributed denial of service (DDOS) from foreign origins on gov.ph were detected yesterday and promptly blocked by government IT administrators,” Casambre said. “Access latency on several government websites was also evident as a result of the DDOS attacks.” 

Science Secretary Mario Montejo said the hacking of the UP website demonstrates the vulnerabilities of some government sites and the need for more stringent cyber security standards.

“These alleged hacking and counter-hacking activities are unsanctioned by either government and are basically a reflection of what citizens of either country feel about the situation. It is our job in government to seek diplomatic solutions to these issues and not let these things get out of hand,” Montejo said. “Along with the Cybercrime Bill that is currently undergoing bicameral review, the DOST-ICTO, in cooperation with the Office of the President, is in the final stages of developing an executive order creating a top level body which will spearhead government efforts on cybercrime and cybersecurity, and will strengthen the necessary coordination and implementation of uniform security standards in government,” Casambre said.  

Brace for more ‘attacks’

Meanwhile, Ang Kasangga party-list Rep. Teodorico Haresco said Malacañang and the country’s security and intelligence agencies should brace for crippling cyber attacks from China, which showed no signs of backing down in the standoff at Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal. Haresco said the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China has been honing its cyberspace operations, short of formalizing its creation of a cyber command as the United States military has recently done.

He said it is likely that the cyber attacks would escalate as another pressure point or “front for offensive” against the Philippines, which is already puny in military terms against China.

“It’s not easy to find out what their tactical or even specific strategic objectives are in this particular standoff but I’m sure they will not leave without having achieved or gotten something from our country,” Haresco said.

He said the PLA’s cyber operations program taps private individuals or groups in its offensive cyber operations, adding that Beijing, or at least its government-controlled or influenced hackers, have been widely reported to have waged cyber attacks on US defense and intelligence agencies as well as large private corporations despite their sophisticated firewalls and computer defenses.– Paolo Romero