Couple indicted for hacking shipping company’s website

A couple is now facing criminal charges in court for allegedly accessing and manipulating the website of a Cebu-based shipping firm and cargo line.

The Cebu City Prosecutor's Office found sufficient evidence to hold Stewart Tibon and his wife, Anna Marie, for trial for violation of Republic Act 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012).

The prosecutor's office recommended P20,000 bail for each accused for their temporary liberty. The couple allegedly altered and manipulated the corporate website of Gothong Southern Shipping Lines.

The case stemmed from the complaint filed by Alessandro Lampayan, the shipping firm's business solutions technology manager, who accused the couple of manipulating the firm's website.

Stewart, the former IT specialist of Gothong Southern, abandoned his post on September 11, 2014. The company, however, got alarmed when its IT professional could no longer access their website after Steward allegedly altered it.

Stewart reportedly assigned his wife to be the website's administrator, who presently takes full control of the website. Lampayan said they cannot override the password since it was Stewart who created the website.

The unauthorized access to website allegedly compromised the confidentiality of Southern Gothong's website, its integrity, thus, exposing the data to serious and continue risk.

The couple refused to rectify the website information despite request by the shipping firm to correct it.

The prosecution resolved the complaint based on the evidence presented by the complainant after the couple failed to file their counter-affidavit to refute the allegations hurled against them.