Kinumpirma ng Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) nitong Huwebes na nakipag-ugnayan ang China sa Pilipinas hinggil sa imbestigasyon sa nasawatang cyberattack kamakailan. Kaugnay ito ng pagtukoy ng DICT sa cyber culprit na nagtangkang mang-hack sa Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) sa ilalim ng state-owned telecommunication company sa China.
“Actually, they have reached out to ask if we can do some cooperation. Because it’s actually both ways,” pahayag ni DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy sa Presidential Communication Office (PCO) press briefing. “Cooperation has to come as a mutual activity. So, they are willing to help; they have mentioned that if we can share with them what happened so that they can find where and who did it,” dagdag ni Uy.
Paliwanag niya, ang rason sa nasabing pakikipag-ugnauan ng China ay mayroon din umanong cyber culprits na naka-base sa bansang target ang Mandarin-speaking countries. “If you would recall, we raided a scam center in Pasay where we arrested 600 individuals. Of the 600, 200 of those were Chinese,” ani Uy. “And when we caught them, we saw their computers. The individuals they victimized were also citizens of China and residents of Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore,” patuloy niya. “So we caught them (cyber culprits), and that’s what China wants too. Once we prosecute these people, eventually, they want them to be deported to their country so they can properly prosecute these individuals who are attacking their citizens,” paglalahad pa ng opisyal.
Samantala, binigyang-diin ni Uy na “it’s not for us to come up with the conclusion (ruling out that the cyberattacks have nothing to do with the South China Sea dispute); that’s too early.” “In cyber investigations, analyzing all of these, we’ve never ruled out anything. Everything is in the realm of possible,” wika pa niya. “But we always maintain an open arms with anyone who wants to cooperate. We don’t reject those offers and see where we go from there,” patuloy ng opisyal.
Samantala, iginiit ng DICT chief na “the public should be alert and not too gullible.” “You know, no matter what cyber security, firewall, protection we put in your system, it can still be bypassed if using social engineering you willingly give up your password, you willingly give up your pin, your phone number to the scammer,” sabi ni Uy. Dagdag pa niya, magduda kapag “you are offered something that is too good to be true.”
Carlo Juancho FuntanillaFrontend Developer, WordPress, Shopify
Contributing Editor
AMA ACLC San Pablo
