TO help the government fight the growing threat of cybercrime in the country, Microsoft Philippines recently formed a partnership with the Philippine National Police (PNP) to provide the country’s law-enforcement organization readiness programs, knowledge, tools, and necessary technologies to assist in combatting cybercrimes.
Microsoft will work closely with the PNP-Anti Cybercrime Group (ACG) representatives to assess the current requirements, challenges, skills and equipment. To beef up ACG’s capability, Microsoft will assist the PNP-ACG in developing a readiness program for specific roles within the PNP Cybercrime group.
In March 2013 the PNP activated the Anti Cybercrime Group or the PNP-ACG in line with the mandate of Chapter IV, Enforcement and Implementation, Section 10 of the Cybercrime Prevent Act. The PNP-ACG will function as the primary group responsible for implementing cybercrime laws and anti-cybercrime campaigns of the PNP and the national government. The PNP-ACG is built to focus on cybercrime-, computer- and other content-related offenses, such as cybersex, child pornography, and unsolicited commercial communication among many others.
From 2003 to 2012, the PNP-ACG reported a total of 2,778 cybercrime-related offenses.
Believing in the role of technology, the PNP-ACG is certain that partnering with Microsoft will further enable the organization in strengthening its anti-cybercrime efforts. With the alliance, Microsoft will be providing readiness programs, knowledge, tools, and necessary technologies to assist in combatting cybercrimes.
Microsoft will work closely with PNP-ACG representatives to discuss current requirements, challenges, skills and equipment. Microsoft will assist the PNP-ACG in developing a readiness program for specific roles within the PNP Cybercrime group.
“Our alliance with the PNP-ACG embodies Microsoft’s commitment to enable the public and private sectors with the necessary skills in addressing the increasing complexities of cybercrime. This is also in line with Microsoft’s commitment to providing a safe secure and trustworthy technological environment,” said Raul Cortez, director for corporate and legal affairs of Microsoft Philippines in a media statement. “Extensive public and private partnerships are essential to complement security and privacy models and legislative frameworks to adequately protect consumer privacy and security.
We must evolve our thinking on how societies can protect the privacy and security of individuals while providing for responsible, beneficial and trustworthy technology to access and use data,” said
Cortez. Police Sr. Supt. Gilbert Sosa, Director at PNP Anti Cybercrime group, stressed the importance of the government’s role in fighting cybercrime.
“Clearly, governments have a role to play in combatting cybercrimes in the country—drafting legislation to help protect privacy, and educating citizens on threats such as ID theft, online fraud, and child safety,” Sosa said.
“However, we cannot do it alone. We need to forge partnerships with the software industry, the user community, and other government agencies to confront cybercrime rings. With Microsoft as one of our strategic partners, we are further geared to address emerging security and privacy issues in our society. We hope to lessen cybercrime incidences and help neutralize its painful effects to the economy, families, and individual consumers,” Sosa addedw.
Microsoft said it puts importance on security in its innovation program.Backed up by cutting-edge security practices and years of software and service expertise, the company said it can provide robust security that can strengthen the information-technology infrastructure of organizations.
These services include Identity and Access Management, Data Protection, Compliance and Monitoring and Secure Deployment and Development.