Cyberattacks are on the rise!

In the past, we associated this terrifying incident with online banks and payment platforms. However, even government websites, not known as financial institutions, from which money may be stolen, or unauthorized payments are also targets.

Last Sunday, 15 October, the website of the House of Representatives was vandalized before noon by a group calling itself "3MUSKETEERZ."  A face with a mocking meme with the phrases "You've been hacked" and "Have a nice day" appeared on the website. Below the face was the message, "Happy April Fullz Kahit October palang (even if it's still)! Fix your website."

A few minutes later, the website went down and became inaccessible. Shortly after, the House of Representatives issued a statement assuring the public that the House had already taken action and coordinated with the government agencies concerned to deal with the matter.

"While we work to restore the website fully, we ask for patience and understanding. We are committed to ensure the security and integrity of our digital platforms, and we will implement additional measures to prevent such incidents in the future," the statement said.

Relatedly, also recall that on 22 September, a system of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation was similarly attacked, preventing access for a week. Reports stated the data breach affected employees' workstations, application servers, and users' data, including names, addresses, dates of birth, gender, phone numbers and PhilHealth identification numbers.

On 31 August, the Department of Science and Technology's OneExpert portal was also subjected to a cyberattack. In a statement on 13 October, the DoST assured the general public that the virtual assault compromised no personal data.

In all the above instances, whether personal data or sensitive information were stolen, it causes alarm to us Filipinos. The call to government agencies and ordinary Filipinos to be vigilant and careful with our online information and accounts has become louder than ever.

The same holds true for institutions and businesses, which, by the nature of their activities, are entrusted with and tasked to safeguard large amounts of personal information and are responsible for keeping this trust by whatever means appropriate.

I now want to stress the importance of cyber security not just for individuals and juridical entities but for the entire nation holistically.

Protection against cyber threats: In today's digital age, cyber threats like hacking, data breaches, and identity theft are becoming more prevalent. Implementing robust cyber security measures helps protect us from these threats.

Safeguarding sensitive information: Cyber security also helps protect sensitive information such as personal data, financial details and intellectual property. This is crucial for maintaining privacy and preventing unauthorized access or misuse of information.

Maintaining trust, reputation, and credibility: Cyber security is essential for building trust with customers, clients, and partners. Organizations can maintain a positive reputation and avoid potential legal and financial consequences by committing to protecting their data and privacy.

Compliance with regulations: Many industries have specific regulations and standards regarding data protection and privacy. Compliance with these regulations is not only important for avoiding penalties but also for ensuring ethical practices and responsible handling of data.

Business continuity: Cyber attacks can disrupt operations, leading to financial losses, reputational damage, and even business closure. Implementing effective cyber security measures helps minimize these risks and ensures business continuity.

Finally, I want to end by being deliberately redundant in stating that cyber security is crucial for protecting individuals, organizations, and society from the growing threat landscape in the digital world. Cyber attackers are on the prowl; we must be alert to the possibility of attack, ready even now to implement measures to effectively counter-act or prevent the same.