Tech brain drain fuels Phi cybersecurity skills gap

Nurses, engineers, doctors now cybersecurity experts.

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As the Philippines counts the cost of brain drain, a surge in malicious cyber activity has highlighted the country's digital security skills gap.

Cybersecurity firm Resecurity based in the US reported a 325 percent jump in hacking and other digital intrusions targeting the Philippines during the first quarter of 2024 amid rising tensions with China.

That prompted President Marcos to launch a cybersecurity strategy to beef up the nation's cyber defenses to combat attacks and digital crimes. Its military said last year it would create a cyber command.

But industry analysts say such plans could struggle due to big shortages of skilled "cyber warriors" in the Philippines, which is estimated to need tens of thousands of digital security professionals.

Whether targeting ordinary people, journalists or activists, online threats from doxxing to domain blocking and digital surveillance are rising in the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations, highlighting a lack of resources and expertise to fight them, experts say.