Ex-DICT executive calls for ‘decisive’ action on data leak

A FORMER official of the Department of Information and Communications Technology called for “definitive and decisive action” on the reported massive data breach involving the Philippine National Police and other line government agencies.

Erstwhile DICT undersecretary for policy and legal affairs Jose Vicente Salazar said the reported data breach underscores the need to further strengthen safety nets against “unauthorized and therefore illegal intrusions into confidential information, both private and public, that may put lives and property in serious jeopardy.”

“At stake here is not only security of the people in particular, but also security of the state as a whole. Identity theft may become rampant and committed with impunity across the country, but what is more alarming is the possibility of a threat to national security because confidential information falls in the hands of the wrong people,” Salazar said.

He said the alleged data breach was a “very serious matter that needs to be decisively addressed.” Salazar was also an undersecretary at the Department of Justice.

The DICT said it launched its own investigation into the alleged data breach involving over 1.2 million records of law enforcement agencies including the PNP.

The DICT said its Cybersecurity Bureau and National Computer Emergency Response Team intensified its inquiry into the matter.

“The DICT considers the incident as a grave concern that threatened the confidentiality, integrity, and privacy of user data. The department assures the public that investigation on the matter is underway,” the DICT said in a statement.