PALO Alto Networks Inc. said that among countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) region, Philippine organizations have a high level of awareness on the potential threats of cyber threats.
In their latest research, Palo Alto Networks said more than half of the Philippine organizations conduct high-level cybersecurity discussions monthly. Furthermore, the cybersecurity solutions provider pointed out that Philippine organizations perceive the highest level of risks to cyber threats (48 percent) among Asean countries. It is, therefore, unsurprising that 64 percent of Philippine organizations indicate that they have increased their budget for cybersecurity in 2022.
“It’s encouraging to see that Philippine businesses are confident and proactive in dealing with cybersecurity issues,” Oscar Visaya, the firm’s Philippines country manager, said in a recent online news briefing.
Citing the survey, Visaya said the Philippines is the second-highest country in the Asean where business leaders are confident of their cybersecurity measures.
“And this speaks volumes about our nation’s awareness as well as preparedness to potential cyberattacks,” he further said. “Having said that, Philippine organizations should continue to focus on post-Covid cyber protection in order to stay ahead of the evolving cyber threats.”
Pandemic as catalyst
THE research titled “State of Cybersecurity in Asean” polled 500 respondents representing businesses across the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand on their response to the cybersecurity challenges in 2021 and outlook for the future.
In the same briefing, Palo Alto Networks Field Chief Security Officer Ian Lim said the pandemic was the catalyst in making cybersecurity a priority for many Asean businesses.
A vast majority (92 percent) believe that cybersecurity is a priority for their business leaders today. Nearly three in four (74 percent) also believe their leadership has increased the focus on cybersecurity. More than half (56 percent) of Philippine organizations indicated that they have been discussing their cybersecurity strategy on a monthly basis.
Concrete actions
MEANWHILE, Lim said Leaders also took concrete actions to beef up their organization’s cybersecurity capabilities, as 96 percent of organizations maintain a dedicated in-house IT team responsible for managing cyber risks.
Over two-thirds (68 percent) are also planning to increase their cybersecurity budgets in 2022, driven by the adoption of next-gen security capabilities (48 percent); the need to address existing cybersecurity gaps (46 percent); and the need to optimize operations (44 percent).
“The pandemic has served as a catalyst for Asean business leaders to pay greater attention to their cybersecurity defense measures. Many of them recognize the deep impact it can have on their business continuity. To manage today’s remote workforce in a digital-first environment, cybersecurity must be integrated horizontally across all facets of the business and considered as part of every corporate action,” Lim explained. “As new and unexpected threats continue to shake up businesses of all sizes and industries, there needs to be closer collaboration between both technology and business leaders to tackle these novel challenges.”