DICT checking reported hacking of DFA
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), which was recently victimized by a system breach, is verifying a reported cyberattack launched against the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). Assistant Secretary Renato Paraiso of the DICT, in an interview with the Inquirer on Wednesday, said they were monitoring the situation for now to confirm the cybersecurity incident. He added that they were also ready to provide assistance to the DFA.
Cybersecurity group Deep Web Konek earlier reported that a threat actor, identifying as “chengyi,” allegedly stole sensitive email data now being sold online. “[Initial] findings found out that the sample provided contains sensitive documents and is marked as confidential documents,” it said. This report just came a day after the DICT’s Disaster Risk Reduction Management Division website was defaced by a hacker group. The DICT was able to regain control in less than an hour, but some employee data were exfiltrated during the attack as well. —TYRONE JASPER C. PIAD
Vietnamese nabbed for making scene at Naia
Authorities arrested a Vietnamese woman at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) on Monday for unruly behavior. In a statement on Wednesday, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) identified the woman as Ban Thi Van, a 19-year-old Vietnamese who initially presented herself for immigration clearance to board a Cebu Pacific Air flight to Hanoi.
Upon inspection, however, the BI said Ban “aggressively snatched” her passport from the immigration officer and caused a scene when she threw herself on the floor and screamed.
“She reportedly streamed her outburst on social media, and caused [a] disturbance in the immigration departure area,” the bureau reported. BI officers sought help from the bureau’s border control and intelligence unit, airport police and the Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group to pacify Ban. She was later taken to the BI’s head office in Intramuros for inquest proceedings and transferred to the agency’s facility inside Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City pending her deportation. —JANE BAUTISTA
