Tag: hackers

Known hacker arrested in Las Piñas City

Known hacker arrested in Las Piñas City

carlocarrasco

Recently in the City of Las Piñas, local police officers arrested a man (who has an established history of hacking) for targeting foreigners online, according to a Philippine Star news report. The arrest happened in Barangay Talon Dos.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt the Philippine Star news report. Some parts in boldface…

A man previously dubbed “Asia’s best hacker” was arrested in Las Piñas for allegedly targeting foreigners in his illegal online activities, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said yesterday.

An NCRPO report obtained by The STAR showed that NCRPO operatives searched the house of Edgar Silvano Jr., 47, in Barangay Talon Dos at past 2 p.m. on Friday.

The operation was implemented on the strength of a search warrant issued by Judge Elizabeth Yu Guray of the Las Piñas Regional Trial Court Branch 202.

Recovered from Silvano were 11 cell phones, seven flash drives, five laptops, four SD cards, three Wi-Fi routers, two hard drives, a desktop and a modem.

Apart from these, police also confiscated several financial documents pertaining to land titles and vehicle purchases. These documents contain personal and bank account information belonging to other people, police said.

Silvano was charged with violating Republic Act 8484 or the Access Device Regulations Act of 2012.

He also faces charges of violating RA 10591, which penalizes the illegal possession of a firearm, after police found a 9mm pistol with nine bullets on his person.

According to the NCRPO, Silvano was called “Asia’s best hacker” in 2001 after he hacked an international banking system based in Hong Kong. He was imprisoned but was later released on probation.

Silvano was again arrested in 2016 by the National Bureau of Investigation for violation of RA 8484 and possession of illegal drugs.

The NCRPO said all recovered electronic devices will undergo data extraction and forensic examination.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Are you concerned that there could be more hackers or cyber criminals who could be living within your local community?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Local authorities arrest Ghanaian national suspected of masterminding ATM hacking ring

Local authorities arrest Ghanaian national suspected of masterminding ATM hacking ring

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Have you been withdrawing money from certain ATMs (automatic teller machines) lately? Did you notice something wrong with the same accounts you withdrew money from? The Manila Bulletin reported that in recent times, personnel of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) aided by the Intelligence Service Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) arrested a Ghanaian national on suspicion of masterminding a ring of hackers that targeted ATMs. The same news report showed some interesting details about the suspect.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

Bureau of Immigration (BI) operatives have arrested a (Ghanaian) national posing as a missionary but is suspected to be the mastermind of a West African syndicate hacking automated teller machines (ATMs).

Immigration intelligence chief Fortunato Manahan Jr. said 34-year-old Victor Patrick was apprehended in a joint operation with the Intelligence Service Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) last Oct. 14 in a mall in Bicutan, Taguig City.

Manahan said the ISAFP reported that the alien was the principal suspect in hacking ATM machines installed by banks in Moonwalk, Paranaque City.

Manahan said Patrick arrived in the country last April 20, 2019 as tourist and later applied for a missionary visa using a Cebu-based company which turned out to be non-existing.

Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said Patrick will be deported for obtaining an immigration document under false representation.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Did you withdraw money from ATMs in Parañaque that the suspect allegedly hacked? If so, did you notice discrepancies on your account related to the withdrawals you made?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

A Look Back at Harbinger #3 (1992)

A Look Back at Harbinger #3 (1992)

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Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the early 1990s and explore a part of the Valiant Comics shared universe through the Harbinger monthly series.

In my previous retro review, Peter/Sting, Kris, Faith/Zephyr, Charlene/Flamingo and John/Torque not only found a place to stay in thanks to a really generous doctor, they went ahead infiltrating the top secret facility of the Harbinger foundation which also brought them face-to-face with the leader. At this stage, Sting and his team have established their purpose not just for survival but to achieve something they believe is right.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Harbinger , published in 1992 by Valiant Comics with a story written by Jim Shooter and drawn by David Lapham.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins at 9:20 AM of July 6, 1991 inside the fine summer home of Dr. Heyward. As Sting tells his teammates that they have to move to catch a flight, Faith (wearing her superhero costume) flies through to find Kris and Torque. She finds the two of them seated next together with Kris having her two hands on Torque.

Meanwhile, Flamingo fixes her face as Sting talks to her. She rejects his declaration that she is a part of their team and reveals that Torque does not care about her. Flamingo considers herself as just another hosebag. Sting then tries to lift her up by telling her that she has to take care of herself and that she is part of their team.

Sting, Faith, Flamingo, Kris and Torque then leave for the airport in a brand new vehicle they just bought (having used the money they stole from Harbinger). Their vehicle flies off to the airport with Sting on the driver’s seat…

Quality

Sting, his teammates and newcomer Ax in the heat of action.

Without spoiling the plot, I can say that the story in this comic book got even wilder than I anticipated. The high intensity of wild turnout of events in issue do not even come close to what was told right here. At the same time, this particular story clearly showed this comic book series’ own place within the literary universe of Valiant Comics and anyone who read XO-Manowar comics of this particular era will instantly recognize the recurring creatures (opposition elements) from outer space.

As expected, the character development of the main characters progressed smoothly revealing some amusing character moments that I found interesting and other times amusing. As Sting continues to act with a sense of leadership as well as a false sense of maturity, you will get to see more of Kris providing him analytical and personal support.

The dialogue in this comic book was written to be more dynamic and this is highlighted in the scene in which Sting and his teammates discuss what to do with their new team objective, and what to do with the computer hacker Ax who has shown Harbinger potential. That being said, Jim Shooter carefully crafted the dialogue to reflect how American teenagers in the late 1980s and early 1990s expressed themselves.

When it comes to superhero spectacle, there is a lot to enjoy here. Action scenes and the use of special abilities or super powers were executed at a moderate pace yet they were intense to look at. Each of the main characters had his/her own share of the spotlight even as the spectacle moved.

Conclusion

Meet Ax, the guy who specializes on cracking and hacking.

Harbinger (1992) is a very engaging story to read which was balanced with a good amount of spectacle, nice character moments and the wildest turn of events so far in this particular comic book series. On face value, this comic book’s core concept (which involves a lot of science fiction elements) seemed over-the-top but Jim Shooter and David Lapham succeeded in telling a story that is believable and at the same time fun. It is also within this comic book that readers will get to see more of the Valiant Comics universe elements without the need of a crossover or a cameo appearance of an established Valiant hero. This is definitely the tale of Sting and his team that was simply taken into a much higher flight of fantasy. That being said, I am looking forward to the next issue.

Overall, Harbinger (1992) is highly recommended!

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/