COMELEC to netizens: Avoid visiting hackers’ website to avoid identity theft
The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has warned the public against visiting WeHaveYourData.com, a website where hackers from the group LulzSec Pilipinas uploaded the private information of as mush as 55 million registered Filipino voters. The group obtained these after it successfully attacked the poll body’s official website last March 27.
In a statement, COMELEC spokesperson James Jimenez pointed out that visitors to the website may become vulnerable to identity theft. “We advice the public not to use the hacker website as it can be used by the hackers to steal your information and expose you even further to the dangers of identity theft,” he said.
Through WeHaveYourData.com, Internet users from anywhere in the world can find out the personally identifying information of any Filipino voter including his or her birth date, home address, passport number, and even fingerprint patterns.
Statement. pic.twitter.com/fwyxrOxyS0
— James Jimenez (@jabjimenez) April 21, 2016
“We also cannot rule out at this stage that this may be an attempt by the hackers to monetize the data they claim to have,” Jimenez added. He stressed that the poll body is in close coordination with the National Bureau of Investigation to deal with the matter. Elements of the NBI apprehended 20-year-old IT graduate Paul Biteng, one of the three main suspects behind the attack on the COMELEC website.
“(We) apologize for this continuing attack on your privacy. (We) assure the public that the COMELEC is doing everything we can to resolve this matter at the soonest possible time,” Jimenez added.
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