NBI starts probe on alleged Comelec hacking, data breach — Guevarra

FILE PHOTO: A hooded man holds a laptop computer as cyber code is projected on him in this illustration picture taken on May 13, 2017. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/Illustration/File Photo

MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has started its probe into the alleged hacking incident and data breach at the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Saturday.

“Today, the NBI conducted a physical security inspection of the Comelec facilities in Laguna, together with representatives from Smartmatic and the Comelec,” Guevarra told reporters.

“Certain documents were turned over to the NBI for validation and authentication. A thorough investigation is now in progress,” he added.

This developed after the Comelec sought the assistance of the NBI to investigate the incident, said Guevarra, prompting the agency to mobilize its cybercrime division and its special project team.

All this developed after a report from the Manila Bulletin claimed that the poll body’s systems have been hacked and compromised which led to files being stolen, including usernames and PINS of vote-counting machines (VCMs).

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez, however, questioned the report explaining that the allegedly stolen information does not even exist yet in Comelec’s systems.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Rowena Guanzon herself also denied the incident, tagging the report as “fake news.”

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