PNP ups cybersecurity measures after logistics data system ‘breach’

MANILA: The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday ordered all police units to strengthen cybersecurity measures to protect its online systems from various threats. "The PNP chief (Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil) has given a directive not only to the Directorate for Logistics but for all PNP units that maintain a database and other systems. We know that PNP is maintaining a lot of data system and many of these are vulnerable to attacks," PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said in Filipino in a press briefing in Camp Crame, Quezon City. The move comes in the wake of Monday's hacking attempt on the police force's logistics data information and management system. Fajardo said the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group is investigating the data breach but clarified that the affected system was found to be working well, based on the results of an initial assessment. 'But it remains shut down as we speak because the ACG is conducting an assessment and necessary steps to mitigate the breach so as not to further the dama ge,' she said. Meanwhile, Fajardo said they have yet to determine whether some data from the system have been compromised. "We cannot say at this time because our IT (information technology) experts are extracting information from the server logs and are conducting digital forensics to determine the possible origin,' she added. Source: Philippines News Agency