By Aerol B. Patena
MANILA, (PNA) — The latest defacement of government websites only underscores the need to have a secure web hosting facility for national and local government agencies, according to the Department of Science and Technology-Information and Communications Technology Office (DOST-ICTO).
The government is currently implementing an initiative that mandates the migration of government websites to the government web hosting service (GWHS) of the DOST-ICTO.
The said hosting service and the government website template (GWT) are under the Integrated Government Philippines (iGov Phil) project of the DOST-ICTO and DOST-Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DOST-ASTI).
“Currently under review are mature content management systems (CMS) and the development of templates in accordance with mandatory laws such as transparency etc.., likewise we are accrediting developers and trainers who can help us carry out our job, in effect creating the government web development team,” said iGovPhil Proect director Dennis Villorente.
He said that in line with this, we will conduct series of trainings – workshops for all agencies concerned, while simultaneously migrating all agency websites following case specific schemes.
Meanwhile, DOST undersecretary Louis Casambre warned that charges will be filed against the hackers for violating the E-Commerce Act.
“If hacktivist groups wish to promote their event Tuesday, there are alternate ways rather than hacking into government websites. Website defacements are against the law and hackers who are proven to have violated Section 33 of RA 8792, or the E-Commerce Act will be liable for their actions,” Casambre stated.
A group claiming to be affiliated with Anonymous Philippines hacked and defaced 38 government websites and called on the public Monday to participate in a rally against corruption at the Batasang Pambansa on November 5.