The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has warned Filipinos to be alert for a possible cyberattack on 5 November by hackers who may try to flood the internet traffic and disrupt access to websites and online services.

In a post on Sunday, the DICT said it will be closely monitoring a potential distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack — a type of cyber incident where hackers overwhelm a website by sending massive amounts of traffic all at once. This can cause pages and apps to load very slowly or become temporarily inaccessible.

The agency, however, assured the public that no data breach is expected, and that any disruptions could affect users worldwide, not just in the Philippines.

To strengthen defenses, the DICT said it is coordinating with the National Telecommunications Commission, the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, law enforcement agencies, and other partners under Oplan Cyberdome for round-the-clock monitoring.

Its National Computer Emergency Response Team will also be on standby to respond to incidents in real time.

Filipinos who notice unusual online activity or experience issues accessing websites are urged to report them immediately through email (1326@dict.gov.ph) or by calling the 1326 hotline.

Why 5 November?

Cybersecurity agencies around the world have raised similar alerts for 5 November, a date symbolically linked to Guy Fawkes Day, which is often referenced by hacktivist groups.

Analysts say chatter among cybercriminal networks has increased in recent weeks, suggesting coordinated attempts to carry out symbolic cyberattacks on that day.

Potential threats include DDoS attacks, ransomware, phishing scams, and other disruptive activities targeting government websites, banks, and key utilities.

Authorities say the timing may be deliberate, amid heightened geopolitical tensions and a global spike in ransomware cases this year.