The website of the House of Representatives in the Philippines fell victim to a cyberattack by a group calling itself “3MUSKETEERZ.” The attackers defaced the site with a troll face meme and messages indicating that the website had been hacked.
Following the breach, the website became inaccessible. The House of Representatives issued a statement assuring the public that they had taken immediate action and were collaborating with government agencies, including the Department of Information and Communications Technology and law enforcement, to investigate the incident and enhance digital security measures.
Furthermore, this incident highlights the vulnerability of government websites to cyberattacks, as it is not the first time a Philippine government site has been targeted. The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) experienced a data breach in September that impacted employee workstations, application servers, and users’ personal data, including names, addresses, dates of birth, and phone numbers.
Similarly, the Department of Science and Technology’s OneExpert portal was targeted in an earlier cyberattack in August. The House of Representatives emphasizes its commitment to securing its digital platforms and preventing future incidents while urging caution against suspicious emails or communications claiming to be from the lower chamber. They have pledged to keep the public updated as more information becomes available regarding the cyberattack.
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