Hackers breach DOST tech, research website

MANILA, Philippines — Hackers breached anew the information technology (IT) systems of the Department of Science and Technology, hitting its Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD) last Thursday.

Enrico Paringit, DOST-PCIEERD executive director, said they had to shut down their website as well as other components of their IT systems to conduct an assessment and maintenance.

The DOST also issued advisories on social media to inform the public that their affected systems – PCIEERD website, Project Management Information System, PCIEERD Evaluation System and Capsule Proposal System – might not always be available from April 26 to May 2.

“We apologize for any inconvenience this temporary shutdown may cause,” the agency said in the advisory.

Paringit lamented that the hacker, identified as HulkSec Philippines, even taunted them in a post on Facebook.

In that post, HulkSec Philippines said government agencies should not emulate DOST-PCIEERD in neglecting the security of their systems.

“Tama yan, wag nyong tularan ibang gov.ph website na tinutulugan lang yung vulnerabilities nila. Kudos sa inyo DOST-PCIEERD (That is correct, do not imitate other gov.ph website that sleeps on their vulnerabilities. Kudos to DOST-PCIEERD),” the post read.

Paringit said that the DOST’s cybersecurity experts were working on taking back control of their website and systems.

“We have our IT team,” Paringit told The STAR.

Earlier this month, hackers also breached the IT systems of the DOST affecting three websites.