FIRING LINE: Staggering data breaches

By Robert B. Roque, Jr.
For those wondering if their personal data had been compromised following the Medusa group’s ransomware attack on PhilHealth, you can find out by visiting the portal: https://ift.tt/4t52Dvp.
The “Na-leak ba ang PhilHealth Data ko?” portal by the National Priv awwacy Commission is a digital sentinel in the fight for data security. Kudos to Privacy Commissioner Atty. John Henry D. Naga for this rapid response! It’s crucial for safeguarding our personal data amid rising digital threats.

But let’s remember, this is just one piece of the puzzle. The government must reinforce its cybersecurity defenses to protect our information comprehensively. While this portal is a commendable step, it is a stark reminder of the urgent need to fortify our nation’s digital infrastructure.

Our databases should be impregnable, not vulnerable. It’s also important to note that this portal focuses on a specific incident; it doesn’t cover all potential data breaches.

Ombudsman’s wisdom

Ombudsman Samuel R. Martires boldly challenges the status quo by requesting a significant cut in his office’s proposed confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) for 2024, slashing it from P51.47 million to a mere P1 million.

This move raises an opportunity: the P50 million or so saved could be a game-changer for bolstering government database cybersecurity. Given recent high-profile breaches, allocating these funds to enhance cybersecurity measures would fortify the nation’s digital defenses and safeguard sensitive information, ensuring the government remains resilient against evolving threats. It’s a bold step towards protecting critical data and privacy.

Sana all. Cybersecurity will get the justifiable boost it needs if other government agencies also sacrifice their CIFs for this cause.

Waiting for PNP action

Exactly a week ago today, the Galpo family — spouses Melgene, 31, and Manilyn, 30, their first grader son Yolem, and the four-year-old Jolo — and their relative, Maggie Epanes, 25, were brutally murdered and burnt beyond recognition in their own home.

This heinous act in Cagayan de Oro City is a despicable affront to humanity. Witnesses saw men fleeing when the victims’ house rose in flames.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) cannot act any less swiftly and resolutely to bring justice to the innocent victims of this brutal crime. This horrifying act demands immediate action to get the culprits to face the full force of the law. Anything less is an affront to our collective conscience.

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SHORT BURSTS. For comments or reactions, email firingline@ymail.com or tweet @Side_View via X app (formerly Twitter). Read current and past issues of this column at https://ift.tt/hm7sI4u

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