The General Directorate of Control of Arms and Ammunition (Digecam), a department of the Ministry of Defense, began this Saturday, April 11, the process of replacing licenses and possession cards for users whose information was compromised after the infiltration to your web portalwhich began on April 7 and was confirmed three days later.
This Saturday, starting at 7 a.m., dozens of users went to the Digecam facilities, on 12th Avenue and 31st Street, Zone 5, in search of information about the new process that will be implemented after the cyber attack that caused the data theft of hundreds of people.
One of those affected explained that, after the incident, Digecam requested the password change to access the portal.
Subsequently, he received a message that indicated: “You are hereby informed that you must present yourself to the General Directorate of Arms and Ammunition Control, in order to manage the issuance of your possession and license at no cost, derived from your condition as a person in a vulnerable situation.” However, it is not specified what day you must come to the institution to solve the problem.
Nearly a hundred people did not wait for the notification and chose to go to the facilities in zone 5, with the intention of completing the licensing and possession of firearms process.
Disorder
According to them, the care process was disorderedwith delays and lack of clarity in the steps to follow by the staff; People’s discontent was widespread.
A user said that he arrived at 7 in the morning and after three hours he left without further information about how the process to obtain the documents again will be carried out.
Digecam authorities published on the social network Facebook that, to carry out the procedure, it is only necessary to present the Personal Identification Document (DPI) and the affected license, without requiring the firearm. They reiterated that an official communication will be made so that affected users can report to the institution’s headquarters.
On the other hand, this Saturday the institution’s web portal presents errors that prevent users from entering. Through a message on Facebook, Digecam indicates that due to maintenance and updating of the site, the service will be “unstable or inaccessible” during the weekend.
Data theft
On Friday, April 10, Julio César Taracena, commander of the Army Communications Brigade, reported at a press conference that the infiltration was through the portal’s website, with a denial of service attack that lasted approximately 13 hours.
Although security systems delayed the intrusion, they failed to prevent data theft. It was indicated that the leak reaches less than 5 GB.
Taracena indicated that until Friday it was unknown whether those responsible for the cyberattack operated from Guatemala or from abroad, and that the case was transferred to the Public Ministry (MP) to find those responsible and deduce criminal responsibilities.
For its part, the Army indicated that they were not certain of the number of people affected by the data theft, and that the information would be confirmed by the MP.
He added that Digecam would contact the affected people to issue them new licenses to carry and possess firearms, since the Violated records would be annulled.
Taracena also mentioned that, due to the situation – which he classified as the first in the history of Digecam -, users will be served during extended hours, from Monday to Sunday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and that the process of replacing possession and license will not have any cost for the affected people.
