Senate assures no data compromised in website defacement

The Senate has assured the public that no confidential or sensitive data appears to have been compromised following a cyberattack that defaced its official website on Thursday.

In a statement, the Senate’s Electronic Data Processing and Management Information System (EDP-MIS) confirmed that the incident involved the unauthorized alteration of the website’s content, commonly known as website defacement.

Officials said the technical team immediately activated security protocols upon detection, contained the breach, and launched a full investigation to determine how the intrusion occurred and the extent of the unauthorized activity.

Initial assessment showed no evidence that sensitive information was accessed or stolen. The Senate noted that its website mainly contains publicly available documents and informational materials intended for public use.

“Upon detection of the incident, our technical team immediately initiated security protocols, contained the issue, and commenced a comprehensive investigation to determine the cause and extent of the unauthorized activity,” the EDP-MIS said.

The office added that additional security safeguards are now being put in place to prevent similar incidents in the future, while continuous monitoring of the system is ongoing.

“We assure the public that protecting the integrity and availability of our systems remains a top priority. We continue to closely monitor the situation and will provide updates as necessary,” it said.

The Senate thanked the public for its patience as it works to strengthen the security and reliability of its digital platforms.