THE Office of the Solicitor General is conducting a probe on a possible online data breach involving more than 300,000 files and documents of the OSG that was first reported last April 30 by the London-based cybersecurity firm TurgenSec.
Aside from confirming the OSG’s investigation into the alleged data breach, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said his office is ready to assist the OSG, considering that thousands of DOJ cases are being litigated by the OSG.
“I understand that the OSG is now looking into this alleged data breach. The DOJ has not received any such information through official channels but we will be ready to assist the OSG, if necessary,” Guevarra told reporters yesterday.
Guevarra said the OSG handles thousands of government cases before the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court, adding this is one of the reasons why the department is interested in finding out the truth behind the alleged online breach.
“The DOJ therefore has substantial interest in finding out the cause of this alleged data breach and any prejudice to the interest of the government that such breach, if true, may have unduly caused,” Guevarra added.
In a statement last April 30, TurgenSec revealed that it “became aware of a publicly accessible data store which belonged to the Solicitor General of the Philippines.”
“This breach was accessed and downloaded by an unknown third party that is not TurgenSec,” it added.
TurgenSec also raised concern that the breach and illegal release of the documents would undermine ongoing judicial proceedings involving the OSG.
The cybersecurity firm said OSG documents breached include sensitive information such as internal passwords and policies, staffing payment information and information on financial processes.
