3 years ago, the
vulnerabilities in BDO online banking system were targeted. Reports claim that
its one-time password generation was easily breached by hackers and around 700
accounts were compromised. 3 Filipinos and 1 Nigerian were indicted for
violations of Republic Act 8484 (Access Devices Regulations Act of 1998) and RA 10175
or the Cybercrime Preventions Act of 2012.
But
persistent hackers were undeterred. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas claimed a surge of 2, 324% in hacking and malware attacks while phishing
increased to 320%. The COVID-19 pandemic created a boom in online banking transactions
and hackers saw this as a great opportunity to launch their attacks. The
attacks penetrated many layers of security and introduced several more
sophisticated attacks. It brought forward the dreaded question: Is it safe to entrust personal details online?
Attacks
on government agencies were mostly thwarted wherein hackers used brute-force
and other sophisticated attacks. No hacking damage ever exceeded the 2006
Commission on Elections hacking wherein the biometrics of 200 million Filipino voters were compromised. The hacking
attacks would cause significant doubt in the integrity of the succeeding 2007
National Elections.
The
attack on BDO accounts has bolstered online security banking in the country. No
attacks ever caused damage so huge since then.
Nonetheless,
the attacks should never be taken lightly. It is only proper to put forward the
number one concern of many Filipinos. After all, Filipinos dominate online
usage in Southeast Asia.
China is doing it?
There
are speculations that the rise in hacking attacks is political. Analysts claim that hacktivists in collaboration with foreign entities
are trying to undermine the Philippine government through these attacks.
Theories of this kind have sprouted which were made worse by the successive
discoveries of spy equipment and hacking tools in POGO raids in the last 2
years. Senate
inquiries into the POGO operations and persona of a small-town mayor Alice
Guo have largely sensationalized this theory.
China, which is pointed as the main culprit behind the attacks, has denied the
allegations but the Department of Information and Communications Technology
(DICT) asserts that China IP addresses were linked to the hacking attacks.
While
the DICT is quick to admit that the China IP addresses are not actual proof
that China perpetrated the attacks, it reiterates that hacking was made on Chinese soil. In a meeting of Southeast Asia leaders in 2022 in the US with US
President Joe Biden, a security alert says that China is hacking its neighbors to support its economic
campaigns in the region and to secure control of its territories.
Cyber
security and political analysts in the country also share the same analysis given
the increasing tension between the Philippines and China in the West Philippine
Sea. This is aside from the economic interests that China is deemed to protect
within the country. The Philippines highly depends on Chinese manufacturing,
business opportunities, and economic aid.
Assuming
that these attacks are political then the Philippine government is going to
have to brace itself for more sophisticated attacks. The DICT should always
be ready for the next attack with stronger security infrastructure and continuously
improve security measures, never allowing hackers the opportunity to abuse
online security weaknesses.
The
Important Thing to o
While
it is easy to fingerpoint, it is more important to be informed about how new
and more sophisticated attacks were made and how to avoid becoming the
unwitting victim.
1. Never fall victim to
the SCAMPAGE. It is a fake GCash application. Through the fake
application, hackers gained access to login details including passwords and
mobile identification numbers thereby gaining access to GCash accounts. Make
sure you update your mobile application on official sites. Be wary of fake
alerts for application updates or login verification.
2. Never re-use
usernames and passwords. As much as possible, use a unique username and
password for each of your social media, bank and online payment accounts.
Should a breach happen in one of your accounts, you can simply report it and
initiate immediate security action without having to worry about your other
accounts.
3. Never access
unsecured websites and links.
4. Never use public
internet connection. Always make sure that you use a secure and private
internet connection to avoid having your personal data from being stolen.
5. Always be
updated. The internet is a vast source of knowledge. Always be informed of
the latest security threats so you will know how to handle them and avoid being
a prey.
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