Privacy body calls meeting on reported law enforcement personnel data breach
MANILA, Philippines — The National Privacy Commission said it will meet with agencies, including the Philippine National Police and National Bureau of Investigation, to check an alleged leak of the personal information of applicants and employees of an unnamed agency.
The alleged leak was reported by online security monitor vpnMentor, which said a researcher found an unprotected database with around 1.2 million records, including birth certificates, passports and other documents "relating to individuals who either applied for law enforcement roles or had been employed to work in law enforcement roles."
NPC said it has set a meeting on Thursday afternoon with the PNP, NBI, Civil Service Commission and Bureau of Internal Revenue.
"The NPC considers this matter of utmost importance and has taken immediate action to ensure that those responsible for the alleged breach will be held accountable," the commission said.
The commission added that it has already called the PNP about the breach and has required the national police to present additional information and to explain the alleged breach.
RELATED: PNP says to focus on cybercrime as among 'greatest threats' to Filipinos
"The NPC emphasizes the importance of safeguarding personal data and encourages organizations to implement necessary measures to ensure the protection of personal information. The Commission reminds everyone that the right to privacy is a fundamental human right that must be respected at all times."
The reported breach comes as the PNP continues to digitize its processes, announcing in March that booking procedures and integrate information across its databases.
The PNP maintains several databases, including its National Police Clearance System and its Automated Fingerprint Identification System, but these had yet to be integrated, according to a recorded presentation shown at the launch of the e-Booking system.
- Latest
- Trending
