The firearm licensing system of the Philippine National Police has been upgraded and strengthened, following a cyberattack in May last year. It now comes with additional features such as anti-malware protection, web reputation monitoring, activity tracking, device control, a web application firewall, intrusion prevention, and two factor authentication.
According to the PNP, the upgraded system will ensure faster and safer transactions for the public.
PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil said that the innovations reflect their commitment to digital transformation and public service.
The police Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO), in coordination with the PNP Information Technology Management Service, implemented the reforms to streamline the procedure and enhance accessibility. The system comes with integration with the National Police Clearance System, a mobile application, additional e-payment gateways, SIM card based client credentials, and regional kiosk installations.
The FEO hopes that the upgrades will enhance the licensing experience while reinforcing security and public safety by preventing cyber threats and unauthorized access.
Upgrades and improvements are a part of life and should be part of our government too, so this development with firearm licensing in the Philippines, especially after a devastating cyberattack last year, should be expected as we should always be moving forward, ideally ahead of all the potential threats and attackers who are also targeting those systems.
As the PNP and FEO deserve credit for the improvement, the people behind any upgrades should recognize that they are already behind the curve as soon as they make the announcement that they can take pride in for a couple of seconds, but the work to outsmart the criminal elements who never rest, continues.*
