The mobile phone is the most vulnerable gadget, and we should not reply to e-mails with it, advises Shellsoft president and chief executive officer Edwin Boon in an interview.

“We are almost always in ‘distress’ when we use our mobile phones,” he said. “Either we are driving, busy, or in a meeting when we use our mobile phones. We best use our laptop or desktop computers when we reply to e-mails.”

According to Boon, most scams happen on mobile devices.

In addition, Boon presented a compelling discussion about “Cybersecurity Culture.” Digital transformation means more data is online, within reach of cybercriminals.”

“Therefore, it is important to make it as difficult as possible for bad actors to succeed rather than trying to clean up after they have achieved entry,” he elaborated.

In 2023, there have been multiple high-profile Cybersecurity breaches involving even government agencies. One prime example is in September of last year, when the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) was compromised, affecting the personal data of over 13 million individuals.

The use of ransomware has also spiked. According to Jon Clairmond Siy, Shellsoft’s chief security advisor, the use of ransomware in 2023 has surpassed the combined numbers of 2021 and 2022, and these will only continue to rise.

“While those statistics may sound bleak, minimal awareness of Cybersecurity can go a long way in preventing critical exposure,” he clarified. “That’s why it’s important to practice and promote a good cybersecurity culture, especially in the workplace,” he concluded.

“Cybersecurity culture” is a concept wherein everyone in a group or organization learns and applies minimal social media and cyber security literacy. It can be as simple as awareness of the most common online threats (malware, spyware, ransomware, etc.), being wary of downloading suspicious software or knowing the signs of fake websites that capture crucial login information.

“We provide many advanced cybersecurity solutions to our corporate clients,” Boon expounded. “But we also encourage them to teach their employees some of these basic security principles to further reinforce their organization’s cybersecurity at a fundamental end-user level,” he continued.

“As Cybersecurity threats continue to evolve, we should be able to keep up with the proverbial arms race. Our job as cybersecurity service providers and consultants is what we’re hired to do. And you should [invest in Cybersecurity] if you don’t want any mission-critical data compromised,” Shellsoft chief operating officer JB Muñoz added. “But for more common threats, having that foundational knowledge and culture of cybersecurity can spell the difference between a minor hiccup and a massive breach,” he concluded.

Boon is a technology sector veteran with over 30 years of experience. Before being Shellsoft’s president and CEO, he spent seven years at Microsoft Philippines as a director of various business units. Siy is a Certified Information Security Manager under the Information Systems Audit and Control Association, an international IT professional organization. He also has more than a decade of experience in Cybersecurity.