MANILA – The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is looking into reports of alleged suspicious wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) access points around the Senate.
In a statement on Friday, the DICT said the claim is still unverified, with no confirmed compromise of government systems or critical digital infrastructures.
“Appropriate validation and assessment activities are likewise being conducted to determine the nature and legitimacy of the information received,” it said.
It warned the public to be cautious in sharing unverified cybersecurity-related claims to avoid causing unnecessary alarm or confusion.
However, it called on relevant government offices to review and strengthen their network security measures, including the monitoring of wireless access points, unauthorized devices and suspicious network activities.
While the claim of suspicious networks remains unverified, it warned the public to follow basic network security measures such as connecting only to official and verified Wi-Fi networks, and disable automatic connections on mobile devices to prevent unintended access to unknown networks.
It also called on the public to report suspicious W-iFi pop-ups, or any unusual connectivity behavior to the DICT.
“The department assures the public that the security of government digital systems remains a top priority. Together with its partners, DICT remains committed to safeguarding the reliability and integrity of government online services and sustaining public trust in national digital governance efforts,” it said.
On Thursday, “DNH Klammer,” a notorious figure in Philippine cybersecurity circles, said there was a “hefty amount” of access points popping up around the Senate, possibly related to an unauthorized individual or group “sniffing” network traffic in the vicinity.
Attackers can monitor traffic, harvest credentials, intercept logins, capture emails, redirect websites, or even inject malicious content once a user connected to a rogue access point. (PNA)