Press Release - PRIB: Statement on the alleged hacking of the Senate website

We wish to clarify news reports that the Senate website was hacked.

The usernames and logs supposedly extracted from the Senate Sharepoint site are merely the names or accounts used for uploading public documents. The logs include basic metadata, such as the upload date and file size, which do not pose any significant security risk.

We therefore confirm the statement of DICT Assistant Secretary Renato Paraiso that the incident is not cause for alarm.

Access was gained over documents such as transcripts of committee hearings, journals of plenary sessions, and other legislative documents which are intended for public consumption. No sensitive or confidential data was affected. In fact, the Senate, upon request, grants access to anyone who wishes to download these documents.

The Senate will continue all efforts to ensure that its website remains secure and protected by robust cybersecurity measures.

Atty. Arnel Jose S. Bañas
Spokesperson

21 August 2024