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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider House forms cybersecurity panel after poor assessment of online defenses

House forms cybersecurity panel after poor assessment of online defenses

Published Nov 10, 2023 06:34 am

At A Glance

  • After its cybersecurity protection was likened to that of a "shanty", the House of Representatives recently formed a Cybersecurity Committee composed of its highest ranking civilian officials. 

IMG-a269d98f68a5d48e4e71d1cc4921bd9a-V-01.jpegHouse of Representatives (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

After its cybersecurity protection was likened to that of a "shanty", the House of Representatives recently formed a Cybersecurity Committee composed of its highest ranking civilian officials.

No less than House Speaker Martin Romualdez ordered the creation of the committee through a signed memorandum.

"In line with the objective of the House of Representatives to ensure the safety and security of its website and related online features, a Cybersecurity Committee's hereby created," read the memo.

House Secretary General Reginald Velasco was tapped as panel chairman, while Sergeant-at-Arm Ret. Gen. Napoleon Taas was named vice chairman.

Lawyer Annalou Nachura, deputy secretary general, legal affairs department; Dante Roberto Maling, deputy secretary general, finance department; and lawyer Jennelyn Go-Sison, Officer-in-charge deputy secretary general, administrative department were designated as members of the committee.

ALSO READ:

https://mb.com.ph/2023/10/17/velasco-on-house-s-cybersecurity-protection-parang-barong-barong#google_vignette

"The secretariat of the Committee shall be composed of the officials of the Office of the Secretary General," the memo further read.

Last Oct. 15, the House of Representatives' website was compromised by hackers and was defaced. As a result, the legislative chamber sought help from various agencies, including the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

"May nag-describe sa akin, parang barong-barong yung cybersecurity measures natin compared to other agencies na bahay sa corinthians (Somebody described it to me like this, our cybersecurity measures are like a shanty compared to other agencies that have homes in the corinthians)," Velasco candidly told House reporters.

In short, the House has poor cybersecurity protection. But this can be easily remedied with the right equipment and people.

The formation of the Cybersecurity Committee is seen as the first step to doing so.

Related Tags

Hacking Hackers House of Representative cybersecurity
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