PH 3rd most vulnerable country to cyberthreats – Kaspersky  

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The Philippines became the third most vulnerable country to internet-borne threats worldwide in 2024, highlighting the persistent vulnerability of Filipino web users, Kaspersky Security Network (KSN) said on Tuesday.

Despite the significantly lower volume of web-based threats aimed at the Asean country, its vulnerability ranking moved a notch up at 3rd last year from 4th in 2023, Kaspersky said in a report. 

In 2024, Kaspersky detected 14.1 million web threats targeting Filipino users, with 42.3 percent of users facing serious cyber risks, compared with 26.2 million web threats that affected 48 percent of web users a year earlier. 

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What this means is that cybercriminals have become more sophisticated and relentless in targeting potential victims, Yeo Siang Tiong, Kaspersky’s general manager for Southeast Asia said in a statement accompanying the report. 

“This should serve as a wake-up call for businesses and individuals in the Philippines. Clearly, it’s time to strengthen their defenses and stay vigilant against evolving online threats,” Yeo said.

“Filipinos are known to be really active online so cybersecurity should no longer be just an option but a necessity in today’s digital landscape,” he added.

The top five countries with the highest percentage of users targeted by web threats globally are as follows: No. 5 is Ukraine with a vulnerability score of 42 percent; Russia is in fourth place at 42 percent; the Philippines third at 42.3 percent, while Moldova ranked second at 43.2 percent and the most vulnerable Belarus at 43.7 percent.

Web threats are cyberattacks that exploit vulnerabilities in web browsers, plugins, and online platforms to deliver malware and other harmful content to unsuspecting users. 

The most common methods cybercriminals use to penetrate systems include drive-by downloads and social engineering attacks.

Drive-by downloads occur when users visit compromised websites that automatically download malware without their knowledge or consent, while social engineering attacks take place when cybercriminals deceive users into downloading malicious files by disguising them as legitimate programs, often through phishing emails, fake websites, and misleading advertisements.

“The numbers of cyberthreats are fluctuating, not uniformly declining,” Yeo said.

The perception that threats are decreasing can be gleaned from several factors, including improved detection and prevention technologies that mask the actual volume of threats. 

This also happens when an attacker shifts tactics toward more sophisticated attacks that focus on specific high-value targets while reducing the overall number of less impactful incidents reported publicly. 

In other cases, higher investment was made in cybersecurity awareness training, leading to fewer successful phishing campaigns. 

“These explanations suggest a complex picture, rather than a simple overall reduction in malicious cyber activity,” Yeo said.

Kaspersky said the decline in total threats detected last year may indicate better cybersecurity measures among businesses and individuals, but the Philippines’ higher (negative) global ranking underscores the need for sustained efforts to strengthen cybersecurity defenses through comprehensive protection strategies. 

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