Cyber Incident Victim: Kodao
Date:
Dec 2018
Location:
Philippines
Summary
A group of independent media outlets experienced distributed denial-of-service attacks that rendered their websites inaccessible following their coverage of the Communist Party of the Philippines' anniversary. AlterMidya and the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines condemned the cyberattacks as direct assaults on press freedom and free expression, emphasizing the targeted organizations' role in broadening national discourse and upholding democratic values. The incidents disrupted operations for multiple alternative media platforms committed to reporting on social issues amid perceived government threats to journalistic independence.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 1 motive | 1 technique |
| Threat Actors | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 0 actors | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
On December 26, 2018, multiple independent Philippine media outlets experienced coordinated cyberattacks that rendered their websites inaccessible. The distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks specifically targeted Bulatlat, Kodao, and Pinoy Weekly – all member organizations of the AlterMidya network. These incidents occurred shortly after the affected outlets published coverage commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines. The technical disruption prevented public access to the news sites for an unspecified duration, though the attacks were confirmed to be ongoing as of December 28 when AlterMidya publicly denounced the incidents. No additional technical details regarding attack vectors, traffic volumes, or infrastructure impacts were disclosed in available reports.
The AlterMidya National Secretariat, through its chairperson Luis Teodoro, characterized the cyberattacks as a direct assault on press freedom and democratic discourse. The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) concurrently condemned the takedowns as threats to constitutional rights of expression, emphasizing the legitimacy of alternative media in broadening national dialogue. Both organizations framed the incidents within the context of increasing state pressure on critical journalism, though no specific perpetrator attribution was provided. The coordinated response highlighted concerns about institutional tolerance for suppressing unfavorable narratives, particularly regarding coverage of opposition movements. Operational impacts included temporary disruption of news dissemination capabilities during a period of significant political reporting.