Chinese government hackers infiltrated the executive branch of the Philippine government, exfiltrating sensitive data, according to sources familiar with the matter. Insider reports reveal that the cyberattack targeted multiple Philippine institutions, including hospital networks and government agencies responsible for coastal defense.
Initially detected in 2023, the breach resurfaced in August 2024. The stolen data reportedly includes military documents linked to territorial disputes between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea. Hackers leveraged compromised credentials to deploy malware and erase traces of their activities.
The Philippine Department of Information and Communications Technology confirmed that the attacks are “persistent” and align with the tactics of advanced persistent threat (APT) groups but declined to verify the data breach. The Philippines’ allies—the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Japan—are providing technical, informational, and defensive support. Private cybersecurity firms have also been enlisted in the investigation. The breach of the presidential office was part of a broader espionage campaign attributed to APT41, spanning from early 2023 to June 2024 and involving extensive data theft.
China has denied involvement, asserting its staunch opposition to cyberattacks and condemning politically motivated accusations. However, Beijing has faced recurring allegations of similar activities. For instance, Chinese hackers targeted an unnamed Philippine agency in 2023, and in February 2024, a cyberattack on the Philippine Overseas Workers Administration’s website was thwarted.
In May, a study by SentinelOne highlighted the growing activity of ideologically driven hacking groups aiming to destabilize the Philippines through cyberattacks. These findings were corroborated by Resecurity, another cybersecurity firm, which reported a 325% surge in cyberattacks against the Philippines in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the previous period. Hacktivist groups and disinformation campaigns also saw a threefold increase during this time.
The Philippines has found itself at the forefront of territorial tensions with China due to Beijing’s claims in the South China Sea. As a close ally of the United States, the island nation remains at the epicenter of this regional conflict.
