NBI hires more cyber agents against hackers

THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has assigned additional agents to its Cyber Crime Division (CCD) in response to increasing complaints and cases against cybercriminals or hackers.

In a special order signed by NBI OIC-Director Eric Distor, 16 newly trained agents have been assigned to the bureau's CCD to handle complaints filed by private citizens such as identity theft, online scam or fraud, hacking of bank accounts and personal accounts, phishing, cyberlibel, forensic accounting, and other violations that fall within the scope of the Cyber Crime Prevention Act of 2012.

Distor said the new agents are all certified public accountants and lawyers. They are members of the NBI Academy's Batch 51 "Novus Ilustrado."

He noted that with the additional agents, it is expected that complaints lodged before the NBI will be acted upon more expeditiously.

Distor added that with the on-going procurement of modern equipment and gadgets aligned with the modernization program of the NBI, the augmentation of agents to combat cybercriminals has become a necessity.

The NBI Cybercrime Division continues to hold information drives on social media platforms, seminars, capacity-building and training on new technologies.

The agency also randomly scans social media platforms to identify online chatter indicating future attacks.