DepEd Masbate Division Database Breached, 115,000 Records Exposed
A database belonging to the Department of Education (DepEd) Schools Division of Masbate has allegedly been compromised, with more than 115,000 personal records of faculty and students now circulating in a cybercrime forum.
The breach is associated with the domain https://depedmasbate.ph/ and is reported to have occurred in August 2025. According to information advertised by the seller, a total of 115,882 records were extracted from the system.
The dataset includes highly detailed information such as for faculty members, the records reportedly contain full name, employee number, school assignment, position title, first day of service, sex, civil status, date of birth, and permanent address. For students, the breach allegedly exposes full name, school name, learner reference number (LRN), gender, date of birth, contact number, present and permanent address, and school year graduated.
The database is being offered for sale at $480, with the seller noting that the price remains negotiable. Payment is requested exclusively in cryptocurrency, with a preference for Monero, a digital asset widely known for its privacy-preserving features.
The actor behind the listing identifies under the alias “Unit.” Records show that this threat actor only emerged in early September 2025, registering on the marketplace less than a week ago. Despite being a newcomer with minimal posting history, Unit has already begun advertising stolen databases, suggesting that the account may either belong to a new entrant attempting to establish credibility or to an experienced actor operating under a freshly created identity.
Unit describes the dataset as available for single purchase only, a tactic frequently used to increase perceived exclusivity and value to prospective buyers. The approach indicates an intent to deal directly with fraud groups or identity-theft operators rather than mass resellers.
If verified, the breach represents a significant exposure of sensitive data within the Philippine education sector, directly impacting both educators and students in Masbate.
