Senate website defaced by hackers

MANILA, Philippines —   Amid the heightened security status in the Senate, a different kind of attack was waged against the chamber as “Hacktivists” took advantage of the work from home setup of Senate employees and defaced the Senate website twice yesterday to condemn government corruption.

In a Facebook post at 11:33 p.m. on Wednesday, “Nullsec Philippines” said they “defaced” the Senate website with the words: “We are watching… We do not forgive, We do not forget, Expect Us.”

“The digital generation sees, records, investigates and remembers. Information cannot be buried forever and public trust cannot survive without honesty. To those who serve with integrity, continue your work. To those who abuse the public’s trust, know that citizens are paying attention,” the hackers said in their message.

Hours later, “SentinelX” posted screenshots on its Facebook page to show it accessed the site’s backend and defaced the “News Release” section with the words “Angelica ;pp,” “Ashley & Angelica kiss my pepe” and “Angelica X Ashley, please patch your system ;pp.”

In its Facebook post at 3:46 a.m. yesterday, SentinelX criticized the Senate’s weak cybersecurity despite a P6.5 million “Web Application and API Protection Platform” bid contract.

“They call it a ‘P6.5 million WAAP platform’ for protection, but what we’re seeing is a wide-open website that any kid with a laptop can break into… Fix your website, senate.gov.ph — or better yet, shut it down until you learn how to protect the people you claim to serve,” the hackers said.

Both of the hackers denied acting for a partisan group, as they expressed frustration at the “political drama” gripping the Senate since Alan Peter Cayetano was elected Senate president and later deposed by the bloc of Senate President Pro Tempore and acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian.

“This cannot be treated as an isolated incident. An attack on our system, much like any other threats that we are facing now, are crimes. All crimes will answer to the law,” Gatchalian said. – Rainer Allan Ronda