DICT to conduct independent probe on Comelec hacking report

The Department of Information and Communications Technology's (DICT) top official tasked its cybersecurity bureau on Wednesday, Jan. 12 to conduct a separate investigation on the alleged hacking of the Commission on Elections' (COMELEC) servers.

Acting Secretary Emmanuel Rey R. Caintic ordered DICT's cybersecurity bureau to conduct its own investigation on the reported hacking of Comelec.

This is based on the January 10report published by the Manila Bulletin that indicated hackers allegedly gained access to COMELEC servers and stole crucial files including usernames and personal identification numbers of vote-counting machines (VCMs). The Manila Bulletin Tech News team reported that 60 gigabytes of data was illegally acquired from the servers.

“While the report has been denied by the COMELEC through Spokesperson James Jimenez, it is in the interest of the citizenry and of the country to feel secure in the electoral process," Caintic said.

"This is why I have tasked the DICT’s Cybersecurity Bureau to immediately and independently investigate these allegations. If indeed information has been stolen, there is still time to make the necessary changes and precautions to ensure a fair, honest, and efficient elections.” he added.

DICT Cybersecurity Bureau Director Jose Carlos P. Reyes asserted that the team is already in close coordination with the Commission regarding the issue:

“The National Computer Emergency Response Team of the Cybersecurity Bureau has been coordinating and assisting the COMELEC Information Technology Department Director Jeannie V. Flororita on this matter,” Reyes said.