Data breach hits LTFRB online system

The National Privacy Commission (NPC) on Monday revealed that a data breach occurred in the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Electronic Support System (LESS), an online database and records platform managed by the LTFRB.

“The incident generally affected the LESS data environment; however, the specific data involved and the full extent of the impact remain subject to technical validation,” the NPC said in an advisory.

The NPC said the data breach occurred on 13 September and was confirmed only on Monday.

As a precautionary measure, LESS was temporarily taken offline. Consequently, all LESS-related services and transactions have been suspended until further notice, according to the NPC.

“The LTFRB continues to coordinate closely with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), and other concerned technical experts to investigate the incident and ensure that the system can be safely restored. The LTFRB is also in direct coordination with the National Privacy Commission (NPC) regarding the matter,” it added.

The LTFRB assured the public that the situation is being addressed with utmost urgency and that all necessary measures are being taken to safeguard LESS and the information entrusted to the agency.

“We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience and understanding. Further updates will be issued as soon as verified information becomes available,” the LTFRB said.

The NPC said the investigation is still ongoing to determine whether sensitive data were compromised in the breach.