Manila, Philippines – The hacker collective, DeathNote Hackers International, has issued a warning about potential cyber threats against a civilian-led Philippine coalition. In a recent post on their social media page, the group expressed serious concerns over the security of a new website, westphilippinesea.info, which is connected to the West Philippine Sea initiative.
The hacker group revealed that one of their members, identified as “./slash,” discovered unusual activity on the domain, which is slated for a soft launch within the next 30 days. The domain name, along with a related one containing the term “ATIN ITO,” points towards the coalition involved in civilian supply missions to the contested Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal).
The Atin Ito Coalition, known for its civilian-led missions to assert Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea, has been advised to enhance their cybersecurity measures. The hackers emphasized the importance of securing not just the website but also the database to prevent possible defacement or espionage.
The Atin Ito Coalition is a significant grassroots movement in the Philippines, advocating for the country’s territorial rights in the disputed waters of the West Philippine Sea. Formed by various civil society groups and notable personalities, the coalition has been actively conducting missions to supply resources to Filipino fishermen and assert sovereignty over contested areas. These missions have included placing buoys and distributing supplies to local fishermen, aiming to demonstrate civilian presence and support in these areas.
DeathNote Hackers International suggests that these domains could be targeted by Chinese cyber operatives. They speculated that the Chinese might be interested in monitoring or launching attacks against the coalition, potentially through defacement or troll vandalism aimed at spreading propaganda.
“We are definitely not going to exfiltrate any data with this one, but we want to raise a significant concern,” the group stated in their post. They emphasized the need for heightened security measures, urging administrators and developers to “beef up security—not just for the web application but also for the database.”
The group’s warning comes amid ongoing tensions in the West Philippine Sea, where China has been assertively expanding its territorial claims, often leading to confrontations with other nations, including the Philippines. The Atin Ito coalition has been notable for its fearless resupply missions to Bajo de Masinloc, a critical and contentious area within the disputed waters.
DeathNote Hackers International extended their support and prayers for the safety of the coalition members. They lauded the Atinito coalition’s efforts, acknowledging their relentless and fearless commitment to their cause.
The group’s alert is a reminder of the growing importance of cybersecurity, particularly for organizations involved in geopolitical flashpoints. With cyber warfare becoming an increasingly utilized tactic, ensuring robust defenses against such threats is paramount.