THE Davao City Police Office-Anti-Cybercrime Team (DCPO-ACT) urges Dabawenyos to enhance their online security, particularly on Facebook, by utilizing two-factor authentication (2FA).
During the Kapihan sa PIA event at the NCCC VP Mall on the morning of September 1, DCPO-ACT Officer-in-Charge PMAJ. Julius Santillana bared the rising number of reported hacking incidents.
He identified the three most common cybercrimes as online hacking, online libel, and the misuse of online lending apps.
He shared a concerning case in which hackers attempted to breach a 2FA-secured account. They contacted the account owner, requesting the one-time-pin (OTP) under the pretext of an account "update," ultimately gaining unauthorized access.
Beyond hacking, there have been instances of online cyber libel, with four types identified: false accusations, posting libelous statements, publicly sharing personal pictures and names, and posts intended to harm an individual's reputation.
Santillana said that once an online account is compromised, it can open the door to further security breaches and access to sensitive information. He advised caution in online activities and the importance of securing passwords.
In addition to strong passwords with at least 12 characters, including uppercase, lowercase, symbols, and special characters, Santillana encouraged using 2FA and emphasized not sharing the OTP.
His office intensifies ongoing efforts to raise awareness of online crimes and the possibility of collaborating with Congress to register social media accounts, as individuals often register under anonymous names, posing a challenge for law enforcement.
Santillana also advised against using public Wi-Fi to reduce the exposure of mobile devices to potential threats.