DICT: Phl, Chn open to prosecuting China-based hackers

The Philippines and China have expressed openness to cooperation in investigating and prosecuting the perpetrators following a recent hacking attempt believed to be China-based, Department of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Uy said.

In a Palace briefing on Thursday, Uy said the Philippines and China are open to cooperating on cybercrime investigations.

"They have reached out to ask if we can cooperate. Cooperation has to come as a mutual activity, and they are willing to help," Uy said.

Over the past weekend, the DICT said there are attempts to hack the websites of OWWA, the Philippine Coast Guard, and President Marcos’ official website. The agency successfully thwarted the attack and traced the internet protocol address to a location in China.

However, this claim was subsequently refuted by the Chinese Embassy in Manila, which criticized "some Filipino officials and the media" for disseminating what they labeled as "baseless accusations."

Uy highlighted the interconnectedness of cybercrime, stating that both countries have victims to protect. He mentioned a recent raid in Pasay where 600 individuals, including 200 Chinese nationals, were arrested for targeting Mandarin-speaking countries with scams.

"China wants to properly prosecute those attacking their citizens," Uy said, emphasizing the potential for deportation of criminals.

He also cited the Philhealth ransomware attack, which utilized Russia-based Medusa ransomware, as an example of the global nature of cybercrime.

"Coordination among different countries is important," Uy said, advocating for international collaboration to combat cyber threats.

On SCS issue

Uy said that the recent data breach affecting Philippine government agencies has sparked concerns about potential links to the ongoing South China Sea dispute.

However, he warned against drawing immediate conclusions about the motive or perpetrators, saying that it's too early to definitively connect the breach to the territorial conflict.

“Well, that’s not for us to come out with that conclusion yet. It’s too early but anything is possible,” he pointed out after being asked if he can rule out the possibility that the hacking was influenced by the territorial disputes.

He made this statement following DICT Undersecretary Jeffrey Ian Dy's disclosure that they have traced the hacking of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration website back to an undisclosed location in China.

“So, we just need to, I think, currently take it on face value and see how things develop. In cyber investigations and analyzing all of these, we never rule out anything,” Uy said.

“Everything is in the realm of possible but we always maintain open arms,” he added.