Cybersecurity activities targeting government websites have surged following the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte, with officials reporting an increase in both local hacker activities and more advanced persistent threat (APT) actors.
DICT Undersecretary Jeffrey Ian Dy confirmed that local hackers have been trying to deface government websites, while APT actors, potentially linked to China, have been attempting to access critical government databases.
The Philippines has seen a dramatic rise in malicious attempts, with over 70,000 to 80,000 attempts recorded since last week alone.
In parallel, pro-Duterte vloggers and influencers have faced scrutiny for spreading fake news, with several apologizing during a House investigation.
The government is also cracking down on online misinformation, with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arresting a Cebu-based content creator for manipulating news reports.
Source: PhilNews24 | March 22, 2025
