Four suspected hackers of government and private websites have been arrested in Tagaytay City by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
The suspects were identified by the NBI as Eden Glenn O. Petillo, Carlo P. Reyna, John Kenneth Macarampat, and Leonel L. Obina who were arrested during an entrapment operation conducted by agents of the bureau's Cybercrime Division (NBI-CCD).
The NBI said the suspects are believed to be members of the Blood Security Hackers group.
“The subjects were arrested upon receiving the marked money used as payment for the purchase of the data breaches,” it said.
“Information received by the NBI-CCD revealed that a certain individual or group may be responsible for cyber intrusions including but not limited to the COMELEC (Commission on Elections) and Sky Cable Data and that such data are being offered for sale,” it also said.
“Acting on the information, NBI-CCD immediately conducted a surveillance operation, which revealed that the cybercrime group Blood Security Hackers was responsible for the recent cyber intrusions,” it added.
With the information, the NBI said “the operatives were able to engage the subjects to buy numerous amount of data, which came from the data breach of Sky Cable containing subscribers’ information.”
The arrested suspects will be presented for inquest for violations of Republic Act (RA) No. 10173, the Data Privacy Act, particularly for unauthorized processing of personal sensitive information and unauthorized access or intentional breach; and for attempt in the commission of cybercrime and access of the whole or any part of a computer system without right under RA No. 10175, the Cybercrime Prevention Act, the NBI said.