Comelec servers allegedly breached

Malacañang on Tuesday expressed concern over the reported hacking of the servers of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), according to a report by Philippine News Agency.

“We will await any update to be pronounced by Comelec regarding this. Siyempre, nababahala rin kami, (Of course we are also concerned), obviously we’re also worried about this kung totoo man ito (if this is true),” Acting presidential spokesperson, Cabinet secretary Karlo Nograles, said in a Palace press briefing.

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Nograles said the Palace will wait for the Comelec to release an official statement regarding the alleged breach of the servers.

On Monday, the Manila Bulletin reported that hackers were allegedly able to download "more than 60 gigabytes of data that could possibly affect the May 2022 elections" on January 8.

The hackers managed to download files that included, among others, usernames and PINS of vote-counting machines (VCM).

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said it is impossible for hackers to download usernames and PINs of VCM because “such information still does not exist in Comelec systems simply because the configuration files—which includes usernames and PINs—have not yet been completed.”

He questioned the accuracy of the report, noting that that it "offers scant substantiation for its assertions.”

Jimenez, likewise, noted that the Manila Bulletin report did not even list proof of such verification.

However, he said the Comelec is validating the alleged data breach.

He also assured the public of its “full and scrupulous compliance with the Data Privacy Act, as well as its continuing cooperation with the National Privacy Commission.”

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