UP System website defaced by suspected pro-China hackers

“We come from China! Huangyan Island is Ours!” This message welcomed early morning visitors to the University of the Philippines (UP) System’s website (up.edu.ph) on Friday as the state university suffered a cyberattack from what seem to be pro-China hackers claiming ownership of Panatag Shoal, off the Philippine coast. Posted with the message is a map of China’s so-called "9-dash line," supposedly indicating the superpower’s territorial claim in its southern seas —which extends to the Philippines and even to Malaysia’s coastline. The UP System's website is the main online portal for news and events relevant to undergraduates and alumni of any of the UP campuses across the country. As such, it is regularly visited by distinguished academics and influential alumni from around the world. The website is currently inaccessible, but UP Diliman Professor Lawrence Velasco managed to get a screengrab at 4am (local time) before it went down. “Magchecheck ako dapat kung may list na ng mga summa cum laude tapos yun na,” said Velasco, who is currently in France.

UP Professor Lawrence Velasco was just checking for a list of students graduating with highest honors when he saw a defaced UP System website.