Global cybersecurity firm Kaspersky is urging local institutions to move beyond traditional, reactive cybersecurity tools and adopt “cyber immunity,” a security-by-design model meant to give Filipinos stronger protection as online attacks escalate.

Sam Yan, Kaspersky’s Head of Sales for Asia Emerging Countries, said over the weekend that the recent distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) threat in the country highlights how vulnerable critical systems remain despite the country’s rapid digitalization.

Cybersecurity no longer an afterthought

“DDoS attacks are a reminder that cybersecurity can no longer be an afterthought. Filipino institutions, whether public or private, must evolve from being reactive to being resilient. Cyber immunity ensures that even if an attack occurs, it cannot cause significant harm or halt essential services,” Yan said.

DDoS attacks overwhelm websites with malicious traffic, blocking legitimate users and often masking deeper threats such as ransomware or data theft.

Kaspersky data showed 2.54 million internet-borne threats were detected in the Philippines from July to September, with 20 percent of users encountering web-related attacks during the period.

PH ranked 25th for web-borne threat exposure

The country ranked 25th globally for web-borne threat exposure, while 19.3 percent of Filipino users were hit by local malware infections spread through USB drives and other offline vectors.

The company said a cyber-immune approach, where protections are integrated into hardware, software, and user behavior, can reduce exploitable weaknesses and minimize disruptions that directly affect Filipino consumers and businesses.

As such, Kaspersky also urged Filipinos to take basic precautions, including downloading apps only from official stores, reviewing permissions before installation, staying alert to phishing links sent through SMS, email, or social media, and regularly updating operating systems and apps to fix security gaps.

Mobile security solution

It added that using a trusted mobile security solution, such as Kaspersky Premium, can help detect and block fake or infected apps in real time.

For companies, the firm recommended strict mobile device management policies to control app access, employee training to spot suspicious applications or credential requests, and multi-layered network security that extends to mobile endpoints.

It also advised monitoring traffic for unusual activity that could signal compromised devices and enforcing zero-trust access controls to prevent unauthorized entry into corporate systems.