This October, in celebration of Cyber Security Awareness Month, global cyber security firm NCC Group reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the development of cyber security professionals in the Philippines.
According to the latest numbers from NCC Group’s Threat Pulse, the number of total ransomware cases worldwide increased by 13.5% year over year.
“The threats continue to increase every year, along with the sophistication in methods and the ransoms that come after a breach. Filling the talent gap, especially in the Philippines, will require disrupting traditional methods of building our talent pool that can help organizations prevent these increasingly sophisticated cyber threats,” Brown said.
While cyber threats continue to hound governments and organizations worldwide, Brown lauded the Philippines’ improving overall performance in cyber security.
Based on the latest United Nations’ Global Cyber Security Index, the Philippines recorded a cyber security score of 93.49 points this year, compared to 77 points in 2020. As a result, the country is now placed at Tier 2, indicating an advancing cyber security performance.
Kevin Brown, NCC Group’s Global COO, enthusiastically addresses the audience during the MOU signing ceremony at Bonifacio Global City’s Manila office.
This progress aligns with the adoption of the National Cyber Security Plan by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), which President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. approved earlier this year. The five-year plan outlines strategies to foster a trusted, secure, and reliable cyberspace for every Filipino, especially amidst the rise of e-commerce and digital transactions in the Philippines.
Part of the plan is the passage of the Cyber Security Act, which the DICT envisions as a “national policy framework that will promote innovation and reduce barriers to compliance in cyber security.”
For NCC Group, the country’s National Cyber Security Plan is one of the policy developments around the world that aim to harmonize the rules on cyber security, set regulatory benchmarks for organizations to follow, and ensure accountability among senior leaders for their organization’s cyber security strategies.
However, Brown also emphasized the need for policies to account for emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, significantly since their effect and how these will reshape cyber security have yet to be established.
“We have seen governments worldwide adopt their policies on cyber security, as we have explained in our latest Global Cyber Policy Radar. As well-meaning as these policies can be, however, barriers to its effective implementation could pose a challenge for organizations around the world, as they are compelled to navigate through complex and at times overlapping regulations,” Brown explained.
For its part, NCC Group has been helping organizations worldwide traverse through the ever-evolving cyber security landscape, which is partly shaped by these new regulations.
Crucial to the firm’s ability to deliver its services worldwide is its team of cyber security professionals in Manila. Since opening its Manila office in November 2023, NCC Group has over 120 professionals in the Philippines, and the number is expected to grow before the year ends.
NCC Group representatives, academic partners, and students gather for a group photo after the MOU signing event at the NCC Group office in Bonifacio Global City.
“Our Philippine team has been instrumental in helping our firm achieve our goal of demystifying cyber security and making it accessible to all. Throughout our first year here in Manila, we have tapped into the potential of Filipino cyber security professionals and saw firsthand how they were able to help us support the world’s largest organizations in building and managing their cyber security strategies,” Brown said.
Recognizing Filipinos’ potential as cyber security professionals, NCC Group has also conducted talks and seminars in several universities in Metro Manila. This aligns with the global firm’s prior commitment to contributing to developing the local talent pool and, in turn, addressing the country’s shortage of cybersecurity professionals.
“NCC Group has always been and will continue to be people-powered amidst the rise of emerging technologies and the increasing sophistication of cyber threats. We have always put value in our people and the sense of collaboration that can be fostered among our colleagues as we discover innovative ways to tackle these threats,” Brown said.
Fresh graduates and professionals seeking a career in cyber security are encouraged to explore the opportunities at NCC Group. Job postings are available here in the Philippines and on NCC Group’s social media page.