The Department of Energy (DOE) has taken the website for its Government Energy Management Program (GEMP) offline after it was hacked and defaced on Saturday evening.
The attack is being claimed by Manila-based hacktivist and greyhat group DeathNote Hackers International, and the agency is now addressing the vulnerabilities of the GEMP website with its system developer and the Philippine National Computer Emergency Response Team (NCERT).
“We assure you that the DOE is committed to keeping its systems secure and will continue to upgrade these systems. While we are exerting all efforts to restore the website to full operation at the soonest possible time, we are also implementing our strategies to make our systems more resilient,” the statement reads.
According to the hacker group, the attack is intended to expose the agency’s “glaring vulnerabilities,” adding that if a group with limited resources can deploy such an attack, an exploit from Chinese hackers backed with more sophisticated cyber capabilities could be more damaging.
“Imagine the consequences. DOE holds critical data and infrastructure that is vital not only to national security but also to the everyday functioning of our society,” the hackers said in a statement.
The group also recommended that the Department of Energy should implement stronger encryption, conduct regular security audits, update software, and invest in advanced threat detection and response systems.
“The stakes are too high to remain complacent. Secure your systems before it’s too late.”
On social media, the hacker group also announced that if they view the agency’s remediation and recovery process as insufficient, it will publish all data and trade secrets it managed to get access to on the hacking forum and marketplace BreachForums.
Earlier on Tuesday, July 23, the Department of Energy – Energy Utilization Management Bureau collaborated with its Visayas Field Office to host the 1st GEMP Regional Summit in Mandaue City, Cebu.
The event was intended to explore how EEC professionals in government can accelerate the implementation of EEC in daily operations and foster collaboration by establishing a robust support system for a more energy-efficient government.
