Critical Infrastructure requires a robust and pro-active cybersecurity posture
October 10, 2023Critical Infrastructure requires a robust and pro-active cybersecurity posture
CitizenWatch Philippines urges the government to partner with the private sector in adopting a robust cybersecurity posture to protect the country’s critical infrastructure sector from cyberattacks. Such attacks by state or nonstate actors can undermine national security and disrupt economic activity and our way of life.
Our critical infrastructure sectors must be adequately and proactively protected against cyberattacks as the government aggressively pushes to accelerate the expansion and upgrade of digital infrastructure.
Critical infrastructure systems such as energy, transportation, finance, water, food, agriculture, healthcare, and emergency response all rely on information and communications technology to operate. Cyberattacks can cause disruptions that significantly affect public safety, security, economic stability, or public health.
The PhilHealth ransomware incident – in which the hackers demanded $300,000 or approximately P17 million — is a painful reminder that cyberspace is never a safe space, because hackers and other nefarious actors threaten to negate our gains in transitioning into a digital economy.
Cyber-attacks have tangible costs: ransom paid, downtime, lack of productivity, the breach of personal information of millions, threats of exposure, not to mention the erosion of citizens’ confidence in our systems and institutions. Firms also have to bear the economic costs of repairing their infrastructure damaged by cyberattacks.
Hackers are always trying to be one step ahead of organizations and institutions, so the challenge is to arm ourselves, individually and collectively, for better protection.
Sometimes it could be as simple as good housekeeping, ensuring our antivirus tools are updated and paid for. It could also be the constant education of our users to prevent them from falling prey to social engineering schemes.
As the country evolves into a digital nation, hackers are also becoming more sophisticated in their efforts to put one over internet users, gain access to their private information, profit from them, or even endanger them.
We have on several occasions lauded the release of Executive Order 32, streamlining the permitting process for telecommunication infrastructure. But more needs to be done. Budget allocations toward digital transformation, which is a stated priority of this administration, would amount to nothing if not complemented by an equally strong cybersecurity stance that would ensure a safe and trusted cyberspace that would enable a digitally powered economy.
In the same way that we should make it easy for telco investments to be operational, we should also make it difficult for threat actors to conduct their sinister deeds.
While cyberattacks operate online, they are able to swiftly and irrevocably spill over to our physical space. Cyber-attacks are not confined to our devices and infrastructure. They are not battles with hacker-enemies that are fought like games in the online sphere. On the contrary, their consequences are all too real, and they could have a profound impact on our way of life.