Cyber attacks in Manila up 325% in one year

Government agencies in the health and demographic sectors are under attack, but also public security data. Disinformation spikes fuelled by artificial intelligence have also been detected at times of heightened tension in the South China Sea.

Manila (AsiaNews) - Despite the positive results reported by recent international reports, cybersecurity is a serious problem for the Philippines, a country that has become a hub of transnational crime related to the misuse of the web. Internal needs, media and international pressure force the Marcos administration to make it a priority, and the initiatives undertaken so far show some successes but still many limitations.

In fact, the archipelago is strongly affected by the negative trends conveyed by the Internet. Firstly, the growing global polarisation associated with technologies that tend to limit or deflect the truth of facts. Secondly, the enormous flow of misinformation due to trolling activities, social engineering techniques that are becoming increasingly sophisticated with the development of Artificial Intelligence.

All these activities also undermine democratic principles, starting with freedom of vote and speech as well as the independence of the mass media. Moreover, as pointed out by the World Economic Forum's 2024 Global Risk report, disinformation is rapidly making its way into the public consciousness and the ongoing geopolitical tensions associated with increasingly sophisticated technology risk creating new and profound conditions of crisis and conflict that have so far been little considered and even less adequately addressed at the global level.

The Philippines - where the widespread use of social media is combined with poor technological protection of data and online security - is statistically among the countries most affected by cyber attacks. According to US cybersecurity firm Resecurity, they saw a 325% increase in attacks in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.

Government agencies in the health and demographic sectors in particular are targeted, but also public safety data. Fraud enabled by deepfake saw a 4500% growth in 2022-2023, as identified by the latest biennial Statistica-Sumsub Identity Fraud report.

Finally, it was noted that peaks of disinformation fuelled by artificial intelligence occurred at the same time as developments in the tense situation with China over areas claimed by the latter in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea, according to Manila's official designation).

A situation that has also called the authorities to more incisive action: it is no coincidence that the United Nations Global Cybersecurity Index 2024 showed the country's leap from 61st to 53rd place globally in terms of cybersecurity compared to 2020, thus raising it from the third to the second level of the three considered. Further progress is expected to be shown by the entry into force last April of theNational Cybersecurity Plan 2023-2028.

• Filippine
• Manila
• cybersecurity
• frodi
• IA