Bayan, Chiz hold poll body liable for breach in database

By CONG B. CORRALES
Associate Editor

NOW, anyone who has access to the Internet can sift through your personal details–your birthdate, address, name of spouse, occupation, and the voting precinct where you have been listed.

In what has been touted as the worst breach of government data security in recent history, hacker group “LulzSec-Pilipinas” uploaded personal information of some 70 million registered voters several days after hacking into the Commission on Elections’ database embedded in their website–www.wehaveyourdata.com–a fortnight ago.

LulzSec-Pilipinas also claimed to have uploaded “sensitive information, including fingerprint data and passport information” to the online search engine they created. The search engine is registered under archive.org.

This paper tried the hacker group’s search engine by entering President Aquino’s name. Aside from Aquino’s basic information (i.e. residential address, birthdate, place of birth, etc.), Gold Star Daily was also able to obtain the President’s Voter Identification Number (VIN)—B0860BCA10000.

The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) and Sen. Francis Escudero held the Comelec liable for the breach.

Bayan chairman Renato Reyes Jr. told Gold Star Daily that even with the recent arrest of a hacker who took part in the cyber attack, and the admission of LulzSec-Pilipinas of uploading the personal data, Comelec must be held accountable for failing to protect the privacy of citizens.

“This is a massive violation of our right to privacy, happening just weeks before the elections. The data leak allows anyone to target voters through harassment and intimidation by accessing personal information,” Reyes said adding that they have been consulting with their lawyers on the cases they would file against the electoral body.

Sen. Escudero, in a press conference here yesterday, said there is enough basis to sue Comelec for the database breach.

“It is their (Comelec) duty to keep it (database) private,” said Escudero.

However, Comelec commissioner Luie Guia assured in a text message that the data breach would in no way affect the voting, counting, and transmission processes of the May 9 polls.

“The automated election system is not connected to the database of voters which was the one supposedly breached,” said Guia.

Guia said the electoral body needs to explain with media’s help, that the election process will not be affected by the breach..

“The leak has a chilling effect on private individuals. It also raises questions on the ability of the Comelec to carry out secure and reliable automated elections. Everyone should be concerned with their personal data. Everyone should be indignant over this breach of privacy,” Reyes said.