Philippine firms up IT resilience amidst rising cyberattacks

The Philippines has witnessed a threefold increase in cyberattacks last year.

Following the surge in cyberattacks in the Philippines, businesses are now being compelled to enhance their IT resilience not only to prevent attacks but also mitigate the impacts.

According to Kaspersky, a Russian cybersecurity firm, the number of cyberattacks skyrocketed from nearly 500,000 in 2022 to 1.69 million last year, highlighting the severity of the issue.

Jasmine Margarette Estrella, Negotiator of Office Services for Tenant Representation at Colliers Philippines, the country is lagging in terms of cybersecurity measures and digital infrastructure, especially with the rise of artificial intelligence, remote work, and the expansion of online presence.

 "This shows that we are seriously facing challenges, and we are still behind in terms of cybersecurity measures and digital infrastructure," she said.

The shift to remote work has further complicated cybersecurity efforts. Estrella emphasised, "Maintaining cybersecurity in the office offers clear benefits over remote work because, in the office, IT teams can closely monitor network traffic and user activities that enable them to have real-time threat detection and prevention.”

However, remote work poses significant data protection challenges. Employees often use unauthorised networks, links, and software, and may not adhere to strict security protocols. Estrella referenced a study by UK-based cybersecurity company Tessian, which found that 70% of IT leaders believe employees follow safer protocols in the office. 

"Employees tend to develop bad habits when they are not being monitored. So all in all, cybersecurity is more manageable in the office because of the controlled environment and immediate support," she explained.

To stay ahead of sophisticated attacks, Estrella recommended that companies continuously update their cybersecurity tools and be prepared to integrate new technologies as they emerge. "In order to protect themselves against sophisticated attacks, companies must keep their cybersecurity measures updated by using the latest tools and by being prepared to integrate new technologies as they emerge," she advised.