The digital age has brought a higher risk of cyber-attacks to organizations around the world. In the most recent incident, the Philippines Department of Health has been the target of an attack that gave hackers unauthorized access to their Twitter account.
What Occurred to DOH?
On a recent date, the official Twitter of the Philippines Department of Health was hacked by unknown attackers. They managed to take control of the account and post a message encouraging people to buy the second largest cryptocurrency: ether, which would supposedly be worth $4000 by the end of the month. The post is still visible on the DOH’s Twitter page at the time of writing. The department has reported that they have regained control of their account and reverted it back to its original name after being briefly renamed “Vela Exchange” by the hackers.
The Significance
This occurrence brings to the forefront the increasing threat of cyber-attacks on government establishments and other high-profile organizations. Cyber criminals are continuously finding new ways to exploit the vulnerabilities in online systems to gain access to private information.
The Philippines Department of Health is responsible for providing essential health-related information to the public, and a hacked Twitter account could have serious repercussions. False or incorrect messages could be broadcasted, leading to panic and chaos. Additionally, it can lead to a loss in public trust in the government’s capability to protect citizens’ data and could prompt questions about the security of other government establishments and their readiness to deal with cyber-attacks.
Impact on Ether
At the time of publication, ether was trading at around $1850 with a 24 hour price gain of 1%. This implies that the attack did not have any effect on the value of the cryptocurrency.
The Need for Improved Security
The recent cyber-attack on the Philippines Department of Health’s Twitter account serves as a reminder of the importance of having robust online security measures. Although it is not yet known who was behind the attack, it is clear that cyber criminals are becoming increasingly more advanced in their tactics and are a serious threat to all organizations.
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