PHL govt doesn’t condone hacking of Chinese websites, says DOST

Hacking into Chinese websites, even in retaliation for Chinese attacks on Philippine government sites, would not resolve the standoff over Panatag Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, the Department of Science and Technology declared Wednesday, saying the government does not condone such acts, which should be stopped.    "We understand the concern of our local hacker community on this issue. However, exchanges such as this one will not benefit anyone and could possibly lead to bigger problems in the future for the Philippines and China and escalate the already tense situation at Panatag Shoal," DOST Information and Communications Technology Office (ICTO) executive director Louis Casambre said.   Attacks against websites in China are neither sanctioned nor condoned by the Philippine government and must be stopped at the soonest, the ICTO added.   Pro-Chinese hackers defaced the University of the Philippines website over the weekend with a map showing Panatag Shoal, or Huangyan Island, as the Chinese call it, belonging to China.   Hackers on the side of the Philippines struck back, hitting Chinese websites with claims the shoal and the Spratly Islands belong to the Philippines.   Earlier this week, Malacañang claimed to have thwarted attempts to break into a Palace website.   The Department of Budget and Management website was defaced Wednesday, prompting the government to take it and another government website offline for a "security audit."   In a statement, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said the attack occurred at 2 p.m., but critical data on the site was unharmed.   "We are at present conducting a security audit on the site, which will remain offline until the audit has been completed and the necessary repairs are made. In addition, we have yet to establish the true identities of the parties or individuals responsible for the attack," Abad said.   DOST Secretary Mario Montejo stressed such attacks from the Philippine end are not sanctioned by the government.   “These skirmishes in cyberspace are unsanctioned by either government and are largely outbursts of public sentiment by private citizens from either country regarding the current situation. It is our job in government to seek diplomatic solutions to these issues and not let them get out of hand,” Montejo said.   ICTO is now working with the Office of the President on a draft executive order to create a top-level body that would spearhead government efforts toward cybersecurity and against cybercrime, Casambre said.   This would match efforts by lawmakers to pass the anti-cybercrime bill now undergoing legislative review at both houses of Congress.   “The creation of this body will strengthen the necessary coordination and implementation of uniform security standards in government,” Casambre noted. —TJD/VS/ELR/HS, GMA News