Philippine telco PLDT has joined the newly formed Cyber Defenders Council, an independent group of cybersecurity leaders from around the world. Last year, the PLDT Group invested close to P2 billion into its cybersecurity operations center to combat cyberthreats.

The global council espouses the “Defend Forward” approach, which promotes disrupting malicious cyber activity before it reaches its target. It also hopes to encourage a more proactive cybersecurity stance in securing networks, assets, and customers.

The newly formed Cyber Defenders Council, an independent group of cybersecurity leaders from around the world, espouses the “Defend Forward” approach, entailing proactively disrupting malicious cyber activity before it reaches its target.

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“(The Council) is something that the community needs,” said Angel Redoble, FVP and Group CISO, PLDT Group & Smart Communications. “For the longest time, we have been working in silos. While our enemies are banding together, getting stronger and better, we, the good guys are doing things on our own. We have reached the part where we not only collaborate but work together on a tactical and operational perspective.”

“Defend Forward is a cyber strategy concept that came out from the US Department of Defense, and we are embracing it in Cybereason,” said Eric Nagel, general manager, APAC at Cybereason. “One of the first things we did this year as part of this push for Defend Forward is to collaborate with leading CISOs in every country in numerous different verticals. If we can connect the dots, then we’ll be more effective at stopping what’s going on.”

PLDT Enterprise

Redoble said cybersecurity will only become more challenging, with decision-makers still slow to accept cybersecurity as important to the business.

PLDT’s B2B arm PLDT Enterprise, on the other hand, calls on organizations to strengthen their cybersecurity readiness and defenses.

Citing the rising number of ransomware attacks, PLDT Enterprise said that partnership between public and private companies is critical to ensuring safe cyberspace in the Philippines.

“There should be strong legislation pertaining to cybersecurity so that we can establish a framework and roadmap for the Philippines,” said Alexis Bernardino, AVP and head of Cybersecurity Business Consulting, PLDT Enterprise. “The private sector can come in to share their best practices, threat intelligence, and cybersecurity expertise to help the government, which is leading the pack to create a safer and secured Philippine Cyberspace.”