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Website Defacement
MediumResolved

University of the Philippines System

Chinese hackers defaced the University of the Philippines System website (up.edu.ph), replacing its homepage with a South China Sea map and the message 'We come from China! Huangyan Island is Ours!' amid the Scarborough Shoal standoff.

April 20, 2012Quezon City, National Capital RegionUnknown records affected

Key Facts

Date of Incident
April 20, 2012
Date Discovered
April 20, 2012
Records Affected
Unknown
Source
Rappler
Data Types Exposed
Website content
Response / Action Taken

UP confirmed no data was compromised. Website temporarily taken down. DFA called for investigation. UP president appealed for calm.

What Happened

On April 20, 2012, at approximately 3:00 a.m., the official website of the University of the Philippines System (up.edu.ph) was defaced by hackers claiming to be from China. The defaced homepage displayed a map of the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) with Chinese characters and the repeated caption "We come from China! Huangyan Island is Ours!" The site's masthead and sidebars were preserved, but the center content was replaced with the political message.

Huangyan Island is the Chinese name for Scarborough Shoal, where the Philippine coast guard and Chinese vessels had been in a tense standoff since April 10, 2012.

Response

Danilo Arao, assistant vice president for public affairs at UP Diliman, confirmed that "no vital data in the server was compromised, according to the University Computer Center." He denounced the attack as an "attempt to deprive the UP community of vital information," noting that students needed access to commencement schedules.

UP President Alfredo Pascual issued a statement denouncing the defacement but assured the public that no sensitive data was damaged or compromised. He appealed to the public to "avoid jumping to conclusions and taking actions that could further inflame the people's sentiments."

The Department of Foreign Affairs called for an investigation, with spokesman Raul Hernandez stating: "We denounce such cyber attacks regardless from which side they are coming from. They are counter-productive and will only add to the tensions."

Retaliation

A day after the UP defacement, Filipino hacktivist group "Anonymous #OccupyPhilippines" retaliated by defacing several Chinese websites, including the China University Media Union site. The Department of Science and Technology condemned hacking on both sides, stating it would not resolve the Scarborough Shoal dispute.

How to Prevent This

  1. 1.Keep web server software updated — ensure CMS platforms, plugins, and server software are patched against known vulnerabilities
  2. 2.Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) — to block common defacement techniques like SQL injection and cross-site scripting
  3. 3.Use file integrity monitoring — tools that alert when website files are modified unexpectedly
  4. 4.Restrict admin access — use strong passwords, MFA, and IP whitelisting for administrative panels
  5. 5.Maintain regular backups — so defaced sites can be quickly restored while the root cause is investigated

Sources & References

  1. [1]
    Rappler — 'Chinese' hackers deface UP website — report (April 20, 2012)
  2. [2]
    Inquirer Technology — UP site hacked over Scarborough Shoal (April 20, 2012)
  3. [3]
    Inquirer News — University of the Philippines hits hacking of its website (April 2012)
  4. [4]
    Yahoo News / AFP — 'Chinese' hackers deface Philippine website — AFP report
  5. [5]
    Rappler (The Wrap) — 'Chinese' hackers deface university website — The Wrap (April 2012)
  6. [6]
    GMA News — Pinoy hackers strike back at China websites, UP site restored (April 2012)
  7. [7]
    Inquirer Technology — Filipino hackers fight back, deface Chinese sites (April 2012)
  8. [8]
    GMA News — PHL govt doesn't condone hacking of Chinese websites, says DOST
UP SystemUniversity of the Philippineswebsite defacementChinese hackersScarborough ShoalSouth China Seahacktivism2012