Acer Philippines has come forward to address an alleged data breach incident that reportedly occurred earlier today, March 12, 2024. In an official statement, the brand acknowledged a “security incident” involving an unnamed third-party vendor which resulted in unauthorized access to a database containing specific employee information.
However, Acer was quick to assure customers that their database remained uncompromised during this security lapse.
While Acer maintains that customer information was not compromised, the company is expected to provide further details on the employee data breach and outline security measures being implemented to prevent similar incidents moving forward.
Acer Philippines’ Statement
“Acer Philippines confirms that a security incident has occurred with its third-party vendor responsible for managing employee attendance data, resulting in unauthorized access to a database containing specific employee information.
We want to assure everyone that our security checks confirm that there has been no breach or leak of any Acer Philippines Customer Database, and customer data remains unaffected by this incident. It is crucial to emphasize that the attendance database run by a third-party vendor is entirely distinct from our customer databases. Our internal systems safeguard our customer databases to protect your data against threats.
We are dedicated to upholding the most rigorous levels of data protection for all information entrusted to our care. We have notified the National Privacy Commission (NPC) and the Cybercrime Investigation and
Coordinating Center (CICC). A thorough investigation is underway.
For accurate and reliable updates, please refer to our official communication channels. Should you have any questions or need further clarification, we encourage you to reach out directly through our official support channels. We are here to assist you.
Thank you for your continued trust in Acer Philippines.”
An Attack Fueled by Frustration on the Status Quo
According to a post by Deep Web Konek, which claims to have received an email detailing the incident, the data breach allegedly exposed 277 lines of employee data including names, usernames, passwords, birthdates, mobile numbers, email addresses, employer names, and department details.
The hacktivist group #OpEDSA has claimed responsibility for the attack, stating their motivations stem from a desire to disrupt the elite’s hold on power in the country. Inspired by the EDSA People Power Revolution, the group aims to target major corporations to push for addressing long-neglected issues plaguing the nation.
Emman has been writing technical and feature articles since 2010. Prior to this, he became one of the instructors at Asia Pacific College in 2008, and eventually landed a job as Business Analyst and Technical Writer at Integrated Open Source Solutions for almost 3 years.
