Cybersecurity as the defining challenge of our time: Security at home, cooperation outside

Cybersecurity breaches occur at every level with alarming frequency and increasing sophistication.

At the most basic level, we hear about breaches in individuals’ personal communication, endangering their privacy and financial security. How many cautionary tales have we heard about people falling prey to phishing attacks or similar moves, just because they carelessly let their guard down or were not aware of the risks?

Breaches on the organizational or institutional level are likewise prevalent. Different sets of actors are behind these attacks, from mere thrill seekers to competitors and advocacy/propaganda groups.

Most dangerous of all are attacks on critical infrastructure like telecommunication, transportation, utilities, and other large-scale industries that fuel the economic life of a nation. A breakdown in these systems would not only translate to personal loss but to chaos, resulting in massive disruptions, economic losses, even physical harm to citizenry. Rogue states and other elements are usually responsible for these breaches.

It is also a certainty that cybersecurity attackers will continue to find new, unprecedented ways to use their expertise for personal, financial, and political gain. While we cannot yet imagine the specific details or forms of these future attacks, we can be sure that these tech-savvy malign actors will always try to be a step — or numerous steps — ahead of any attempts to quash them.

Ultimately, cybersecurity is not merely an issue of technology. The casualties are not just networks or data or other digital assets. Instead, what is affected are public trust and national confidence in our systems and institutions.

As societies become more reliant on technologies for their personal and professional lives, and as industries and governments increasingly depend on digital solutions, our everyday routines, the stability of our institutions, the integrity of information, and the resilience of economies all face great opportunities and tremendous risk. The interconnectedness of our systems also grows more complex by the day so that we cannot really say we are ever completely protected from attacks even in other industries.

Thus, cyber resilience is not only a technical necessity but a strategic responsibility as we build our nation and work toward a higher quality of life for all Filipinos.

And because technology hardly recognizes national borders, cybersecurity is not merely a national issue. The consequences of rising threats like artificial intelligence-driven attacks, ransomware, and infrastructure breaches have to be addressed not by piecemeal or siloed actions. Instead, what is needed is coordinated action and consistent cooperation among nations that acknowledge the indispensability of technology and the attendant risks. Remember: hackers and attackers become more sophisticated and acquire more tools.

Partnerships, whether among government agencies, private industries, academic institutions, or international partners and allies, form the backbone of effective cybersecurity. These relationships facilitate the exchange of knowledge, advance technical capability, and build the collective capacity needed to anticipate, mitigate, and recover from cyberattacks.

A shared response that brings together expertise, capabilities, and different perspectives across different sectors and nations is imperative. After all, a digitally secure and resilient digital environment will benefit not just one nation, but the Indo-Pacific region and the larger international context.

Economic blocs have acknowledged this shared challenge and have undertaken steps toward better cybersecurity. Under the QUAD Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Joint Statement in 2024, QUAD countries — the United States, Japan, India, and Australia — committed to deepening cooperation on regional cyber capacity-building, enhancing the protection of critical infrastructure including subsea cables, advancing secure and trusted digital technologies, and aligning standards such as the mutual recognition of IoT cybersecurity labeling. This reflects a shared approach to strengthening cyber resilience across the Indo-Pacific.

Japan, in particular, passed the Cyber Response Capability Strengthening Law on May 16. This move highlights Japan’s commitment to fortifying its own cybersecurity posture while advancing cyber resilience internationally. It marks a significant step in Japan’s cybersecurity diplomacy and its proactive support for regional efforts to secure the digital domain.

For our part, the Philippines knows that by engaging with like-minded countries, we can enhance access to threat intelligence, strengthen incident response coordination, and participate in shaping norms that promote responsible behavior in cyberspace.

Against this backdrop, the Stratbase Institute will hold its annual Pilipinas Conference with the theme “Enhancing Cyber Resilience: Approach, Responses and Practical Actions.”

Now on its 10th year, the conference, slated to begin tomorrow, Nov. 20, has established itself as a leading platform for thought leadership that brings together government officials, the diplomatic community, business leaders, academics, and civil society to address urgent national and regional issues.

Three panels will explore this theme in greater depth. The first panel will be on cyber-initiatives and cooperation as we collaborate for a secure Indo-Pacific region. The next will discuss cybersecurity and its strategic role in an era of cross-border threats. The third panel will talk about the legal, political, and technical framework and measures in building cyber resilience. There will also be scenario-based discussions on policy implications.

The digital environment offers groundbreaking possibilities, but it also carries risks that may derail our progress or undermine our people’s trust in our systems and institutions. Strengthening cyber resilience and deepening international cooperation will be essential to securing a stable and prosperous future.