Ivan John E. Uy, Secretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) emphasised the significance of enhancing Philippine e-governance through the digitisation of public transactions.
“We in the DICT have a very peculiar mandate, and that mandate cuts across all government agencies– to ensure that through ICT, we will be able to deliver to the Filipino people a better government,” says Uy. He mentioned the requirement for the Philippines security framework and standards for 5G equipment
Numerous cyber dangers have been introduced to the 5G infrastructure’s architecture network due to its complexity. It is critical to comprehend how threat actors can take advantage of weak points and vulnerabilities in their assets.
Additionally, the increased use of operational technology (OT) and information and communications technology (ICT) systems by public and private institutions that operate “Critical Information Infrastructure (CII)” in the course of their duties has increased the susceptibility of these systems to various types of cybercrimes.
As 5G technology is created and implemented, more flaws and vulnerabilities are found. The 5G architecture takes four (4) key elements into account:
- radio access network
- core network
- user equipment
- data network
The first two are crucial aspects of 5G Evolution. The cloud and other virtualisation technologies can be used to perform core network operations. The use of open-source software introduces new risks that must be addressed. Another factor is the growing vulnerability of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, which has increased the number of potential entry points significantly.
Most IoT devices on the market have minimal cyber security measures. Unsecured IoT devices have the potential to intercept sensitive data transmitted over 5G networks. While 5G technology and standards will improve security, threats associated with 3G and 4G networks will continue to obstruct interoperability between previous generation networks. To ensure adequate security, 5G equipment suppliers and vendors must work backwards.
On the other hand, the telecommunications sector, one of the identified CIIs of the Philippines, is a major target for cyberattacks because it serves as the foundation for e-commerce and financial technologies, the backbone for controlling and operating critical systems, and the gatekeeper for the internet through the ISPs that support services essential to the nation’s economy and government-related services.
Moreover, Short Message Service (SMS)-based phishing assaults, also known as smishing, have become more prevalent, among other security dangers, raising concerns about cybersecurity and data privacy. To help their clients defend themselves against cyberattacks and false information, telecom companies have therefore stepped up their cybersecurity initiatives.
As the nation becomes more digital, faith in cybersecurity has grown significantly in line with worldwide trends. A shared set of standards should serve as the foundation for this trust, which must be based on verifiable facts.
Meanwhile, DICT has given awards to its public and private partners. A total of 80 people and groups were given awards for making important contributions to the growth of ICT in the country. There were three categories for the awards: Spark, Strengthen, and Sustain.
The ICT ecosystem of the nation has grown exponentially because of the partners who were recognised with the Alab Spark Awards. These honourees are the leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators in the Philippine ICT sector.
The Alab Strengthen Awards recognise partners who share their technological know-how to upskill both the public and private sectors to better adapt to the changing digital landscape, turning tiny changes into raging fires.
DICT has asked the public to work with them to bring the promise of a better economy to the Filipino people through a government and citizens who are digitally savvy.