DICT, Kaspersky Lab ink cybersecurity deal

THE Philippines is partnering with Russia-based cybersecurity company Kaspersky Lab to boost government efforts in ensuring information security in the country.
In a statement on Tuesday, Kaspersky said it recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) “to address the information security challenges among local public sector agencies in support of the national cybersecurity framework of the Philippines.”
The MoU will allow for the establishment of a cybersecurity training program for government agencies and universities, provision of assistance from Kaspersky in case of cybercrime investigations, compliance with transparency measures which will allow government agencies to use some of Kaspersky’s products, sharing of intelligence resources through the DICT National Cyber Intelligence Center, and support for cybersecurity awareness campaigns.
“The creation of the National Cybersecurity Plan (NCSP) 2020 proved that the Philippine government, through the DICT, has indeed placed cybersecurity among its top national priorities,” Kaspersky Lab general manager for Southeast Asia Yeo Siang Tiong said in the statement.
“With the country’s strong and steady economic growth combined with its highly active online citizens, the steps being taken by the government come at a time when Filipinos need heightened cybersecurity measures the most,” he added.
DICT Assistant Secretary Allan S. Cabanlong was also quoted as saying, “We truly appreciate the support Kaspersky Lab has given us. From the first days of the NCSP 2020 until now, they have been offering invaluable support to the agency with their new insights and in-depth intelligence on cyberthreats.”
Kaspersky reported in August the Philippines ranked ninth in the world with the most number of attacks online at 10.6 million malware infections from April to June, climbing from the 44th spot in the second quarter of last year.
It said the bulk of the attacks were related to cryptomining that targeted home users.
“We are confident that this partnership will bring forth a positive impact not just on the Philippines’ national cyberdefenses but also on the lives of ordinary Filipino citizens,” Mr. Cabanlong said of the enhanced ties of the DICT with Kaspersky.
Sought for a copy of the MoU, the DICT declined noting it was still a draft and the signing is only ceremonial. — Denise A. Valdez