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DFA website triggers antivirus alert among visitors


(UPDATED 8 p.m. Friday) For a few minutes Thursday, a government website seemed to pose a potential threat to visitors after it was discovered that one of the links on the site could trigger an antivirus alert on the visitor's computer. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) had taken down its website since late Wednesday for periodic maintenance. In a text message to GMANews.TV, the DFA clarified that the maintenance is a routine one and that the site was not under any apparent attack from hackers. The agency also reiterated its commitment to continue to address public concerns. "The Department has not observed any attack or similar intrusions on its system. Meantime, the website is still able to facilitate the requests from the public for online passport appointments," said DFA spokesperson Eduardo Malaya in an SMS sent to GMANews.TV. On Thursday, visitors to the DFA website before it was taken down at 1:39 p.m. would be directed to a specific webpage of the Global Forum on Migration and Development if they clicked on the "More" button under the DFA site homepage's banner photo: A link to a page belonging to the Global Forum on Migration and Development website. However, clicking on the link in question could trigger a warning from an antivirus program installed on the visitor's computer: A screenshot of the DFA website as of 1:34 p.m. Thursday, January 21, 2010. Clicking on the blue The domain of the "infected" webpage belongs to the Global Forum on Migration and Development: The homepage of the GFMD On the other hand, other sections of the DFA website before it went offline again appeared to be incomplete, including the Press Releases section: The seemingly incomplete DFA The DFA website was taken offline at 1:39 p.m. Thursday. As of Friday evening, the site was still offline but contained a message apologizing to visitors for the inconvenience and a link to facilitate passport appointments. Malaya said the DFA hopes to get the website fully operational by Monday, adding that their technicians were "installing up-to-date and enhanced anti-virus programs." He stressed that the DFA's website was not under attack from hackers. At least five other government websites have been defaced since December: the Departments of Labor, Health and Social Welfare; Technical Education and Skills Development Authority; and National Disaster Coordinating Council. Earlier this week, unidentified hackers also broke into the website of retailer CD-r King and defaced some of its pages. - TJD/YA, GMANews.TV
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