DOJ alarmed over reported hacking of DFA computers

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Justice (DOJ) has expressed concern on the reported hacking of computers and classified information of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) by a China-based cyber spy network.

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said his office would investigate the report on request of the DFA.

“That will certainly affect national security, (but) we must first authenticate there has been hacking,” he told reporters in an interview.

Gonzalez believes that hacking government computer systems is a serious crime, adding that a string of charges could be filed against the spy network.

Canada-based Information Warfare Monitor (IWM) reportedly revealed that cyber spies in China had infiltrated the computer network of the DFA.

The Philippines is among 103 countries where classified documents from government and private organizations, including the computers of the Dalai Lama and Tibetan exiles, have been hacked.

Canadian researchers detected a cyber espionage network involving more than 1,295 compromised computers from the ministries of foreign affairs of the Philippines, Iran, Bangladesh, Latvia, Indonesia, Brunei, Barbados and Bhutan.

They also discovered hacked systems in the embassies of India, South Korea, Indonesia, Romania, Cyprus, Malta, Thailand, Taiwan, Portugal, Germany and Pakistan.

National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales said he has yet to receive official report of the alleged cyberspace hacking, but added that his office would try to validate it and identify which computer system was compromised.

The DFA, through acting spokesperson Ed Malaya, said it would look into the cyber-espionage exposé, adding that it was doing all it could to protect its information technology software and networks.

“The DFA takes seriously reports such as this and will carefully look into its details. We will undertake all measures to maintain and ensure the integrity of our IT systems,” Malaya said.

Once the hackers infiltrate the systems, they gain control using malicious software or male ware, which they install in the compromised computers, and send and receive data from them, IWM researchers said.

China rejects cyber crimes

The China Embassy in Manila said the Chinese government hopes to enhance cooperation with other countries, including the Philippines in countering Internet crimes.

Chinese Embassy spokesperson Hua Ye said “the Chinese government has all along (been) opposed to and cracked down on any cyber crimes, including hacking.”

“Chinese laws and the regulation are explicit in this regard. Hacking is a global issue and China is a frequent victim. We hope to enhance cooperation with other countries, including the Philippines in countering Internet crimes,” Hua said in a telephone interview.

“The DFA takes seriously reports such as this, and will carefully look into its details, including the methodologies used to arrive at their observations,” Malaya said.

“As part of due diligence, we will undertake all measures to maintain and ensure the integrity of our IT systems,” he said.

“We have an M.I.S. office at the Department, we have internal security office and they are currently hard at work looking into the subject matter and also checking as to what we ought to be doing,” he said.

He added that the integrity and security of the IT and computer system at the DFA are important.

“Our public can be assured we will take any and all protective measures so we can maintain the integrity and security of our communication,” he said.

Senators alarmed

Meanwhile, senators expressed alarm yesterday over reports that the DFA website has been hacked.

Senators Rodolfo Biazon and Francis Escudero cited the implication of the hacking incident to the country’s national security.

“If China is the one maybe responsible for this, then I’m glad (the) ZTE project didn’t push through,” said Biazon, referring to the botched national broadband network (NBN) deal with China’s ZTE.

“Any state secret vulnerable to hacking is disadvantageous to national security … because of a lot things. If I were the expert, (let us) trace the hacker, not send him to jail but take him in to provide protection to your system,” he said

Biazon also called on the National Bureau of Investigation to go after the hacker.

“The so-called spying where our RP government is vulnerable to should be looked into by the NBI with the hope that NBI has the technical capability to conduct such investigation on IT matters,” Biazon said in a press conference.

Biazon urged the government to undertake stringent measures to ensure the safety of the government offices’ computers and Internet connections.

“Initially I would like to propose to the government that there should be strict control of the computers and the systems in the offices because if you might notice our system is open to portals of foreign hackers, when they used system for games, sending of email, ads, chatting, sending of pictures in downloading of anything in the systems,” the former Armed Forces chief said.

Escudero said the alleged hacking of computers of the DFA bolsters fears of automated cheating in the coming elections.

“If we can’t even guard the State’s closely guarded secrets at the DFA, what makes us think that we can ensure the credibility of the elections when we automate it? What is our guarantee that it cannot be hacked?” he asked.

“And this is our worst nightmare. I have said it before and I will say it again: We are ill prepared for automation. Now, it could just be a matter of pushing the right buttons in order to win an election,” Escudero said.

He said that the congressional oversight committee would monitor the Comelec’s implementation of automated election system every step of the way. “If the elections fail in 2010, it could very well be our last,” he said. – With Pia Lee-Brago, Christina Mendez