MANILA - The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) assured stakeholders on Thursday that its newly launched, blockchain-enabled online certification system has been made more secure, a month after the agency suffered from data breaches involving four of its other web-based systems.

MARINA's web-based systems compromised in cyber attack

MARINA Administrator Sonia Malaluan said the blockchain technology itself serves as a cybersecurity measure to protect the information of clients.

“The database is divided into blocks. Hindi siya automatic that when you get in, you get all the entire database. Kumbaga magpapakahirap ka,” said Malaluan.

MARINA’s Management Information and Systems Service (MISS) said it now also employs a two-factor authentication during log-in. Only MARINA clients are allowed to register and use the program.

“In order for you to add data, dapat po user ka. We are very careful to whom we will give the (log-in) credential itself,” said MISS Director Joseph Viktor Generato.

“Lahat po ng mag-upload, mate-trace namin ngayon kung saan nanggaling, any intrusions, because you have already a specific account. Hindi po siya katulad ng previous systems we have,” he added.

Malaluan added that users with possibly compromised devices are also barred from using the program.

“Halimbawa may mga virus, malware yung ginagamit mong laptop and then yun yung ina-access mo sa MARINA, made-detect ng system so your account will be blocked. You will be informed that you need to update your anti-virus kasi otherwise kakalat siya sa system,” she said.

Under MARINA-BEST, shipping companies and other clients of the agency can pay their dues online, as well as track and update their transactions. It also offers notifications for certificate expiration. It covers various agency processes, involving shipyard operators, seafarers, and more.

'NO SENSITIVE INFORMATION COMPROMISED'

MARINA meanwhile downplayed the impact of the recent cyber attack on its systems.

It said the breach affected the log-in credentials of its employees but that no sensitive client information was compromised, based on the initial report of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

“We assessed that already, we followed the protocol given by NPC (National Privacy Commission) to inform those users na na-compromise po ang log-in nila. Sa 150 na yun, those are MARINA employees na nagla-log in for the system of submitting reports so it’s more on numerical,” said Generato.

He added that no sensitive personal information was breached.

MARINA is still awaiting the results of the DICT’s full investigation into the June hacking.