MANILA, Philippines – The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) confirmed that a cyberattack compromised at least four of its systems, becoming the latest victim in a growing list of government agencies that have recently faced data breaches.

The attack, which happened on Sunday, June 16, hit four of MARINA’s “web-based systems.” The agency has not specified which systems were affected or the extent of the data breach. MARINA’s systems manage various types of information, including vessel registrations, seafarers’ information documents, and record books.

The government agency said that it aimed to bring systems back online “to receive and process applications on Tuesday, June 18, 2024.”

“Concerned MARINA officials and employees were immediately deployed at its Central Office to implement expeditious measure to ensure the protection of the integrity of the systems,” MARINA said in a statement on Monday, June 17.

MARINA’s information technology team is also working with the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center to conduct an investigation and “mitigate the data breach.”

This is far from the first time that a government agency has suffered a data breach. Hackers breached two systems of the Philippine National Police, which hold sensitive data on firearm licenses, just last May 2024. A month before that, a cyberattack on the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) exposed the personal data of almost 600 DOST employees. Hackers also targeted PhilHealth in 2023, leaking the data of “millions” of the state health insurance agency’s members.

Private companies faced similar threats as well. The National Privacy Commission recently confirmed that both Toyota and Robinsons Malls reported data breaches that exposed the personal information of its customers. – Rappler.com

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