PH cybersecurity still in the “infancy” stage
The Philippines’ cyberthreat defense is still at level 1 — the “infancy” stage — in terms of awareness and communication, and cybersecurity skills and expertise.
In a virtual interview, Department of Information and Communications and Technology (DICT) Acting Secretary Emmanuel Rey Caintic said that there is still much work to be done to strengthen the country’s cybersecurity.
According to the Cobit (control objectives for information and related technology) maturity model, level 1 means that there are still “no standardized processes in place.”
Caintic disclosed that they are aiming to reach level 5 — or the “resilient enterprise” level — in the next five years.
The Philippines ranked fourth in Kaspersky’s 2021 global ranking of countries most targeted by web threats.
The DICT has a budget of up to P600 million (US$11 million) this year.
Caintic noted that they will use this fund to upgrade the Security Operations Center (SOC) and conduct cyber simulation training with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Department of National Defense, and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency.
The DICT is also pushing for the creation of a cybersecurity agency, which is aimed at boosting the Philippines’ cybersecurity capabilities.
Moreover, a bill is being prepared for the next Congress that would require organizations to hold cyberattack drills and comply with minimum security standards.
