DICT drafts memo to standardize cybersecurity equipment used in PH
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is currently drafting a department order that is pushing for the standardization of equipment to be used by the country in terms of strengthening cybersecurity.
This, as Kaspersky data showed that the Philippines is now among the most attacked countries by mobile malware and is one of the countries vulnerable to cyberterrorism attacks.
Allan Cabanlong, Assistant Secretary for CyberSecurity and Enabling Technologies of the DICT, said the agency is now creating a draft of an order that would identify the criteria needed for any equipment to be tapped by the country as it builds its critical infostructure (CII) and for the overall improvement of cybersecurity here.
"That (order) is more of standardization of equipment for more criteria evaluation. For example, there is an equipment coming from the government, then it will be reviewed like for example, we accepted some equipment from Malaysian government that can be used here, then an ICT equipment laboratory (may be built) to test the equipment. So that from there, we are assured that there's no malware," Cabanlong said in an interview.
Cabanlong said the DICT will set a consultative meeting with potential vendors for this order.
"It's like stairs. We will first strengthen CII, then the government, then individuals, then the supply chain," he further said.
The department order is part of the implementation of the National CyberSecurity Plan 2022 (NCSP)
Last week, the DICT unveiled another department order that is fundamental to the implementation of NCSP, which will ensure the protection of government networks, critical infrastructures, and individuals.
The NCSP was recently formulated as the government’s initial step in beefing up the country’s cybersecurity capabilities.
“Cybersecurity is a whole of nation approach. We must work together to attain a cyber resilient Philippines,” said Allan Cabanlong, Assistant Secretary for CyberSecurity and Enabling Technologies of the DICT.
Meanwhile, Kaspersky Lab’s elite security researcher Vitaly Kamluk recently revealed that the Philippines is now the eighth country in the world most attacked by mobile malware in 2016.
Fresh data from Kaspersky Security Network (KSN) showed over 34.97 percent Filipinos with smartphones have been infected by this type of threat last year.
KSN is a complex, distributed infrastructure that processes depersonalized cybersecurity-related data streams from millions of voluntary Kaspersky Lab product users around the world.
“As one of the fastest-growing economies in the Asia Pacific region, it is undoubtedly high-time for the Philippines to tackle cybersecurity seriously. Its impressive economic numbers and its growing, active online population make the country a ripe target in the eyes of cybercriminals," said Stephan Neumeier, Managing Director at Kaspersky Lab Asia Pacific.
"As a private company actively working with governments and police officers around the world against online crimes, Kaspersky Lab is more than willing to help the Philippine government spread cybersecurity awareness among Filipinos and thwart cybercrimes by sharing our expertise and understanding about information security,” he added. (MBM)
President Trump’s decision to withdraw the USA from the landmark Paris climate accord must not become a distraction from urgent global efforts to combat climate change.
Countries in Asia were among the most committed supporters of the Paris goals. Now is not the time to break stride, but to reinforce the resolve.
Energy demand is set to double this century, with the world’s population reaching 11 billion, up from 7.5 billion today.
As the world changes, so will the energy system that powers it, driven by the need to reduce carbon emissions and – crucially for Asia – tackle air pollution that blights so many lives.
Coal is a big contributor to that air pollution. This can, and must, change. Put simply: We will need more and cleaner energy if Asian countries are to continue to thrive in the coming decades.
Today, coal is still the biggest source of energy in the Asianregion, at 47% of the energy mix, compared to natural gas at 10%. In some countries, coal’s share is rising.
For Asia’s population, renewable energy will be essential to meeting growing demand while tackling climate change and air pollution.
But renewables chiefly produce electricity. And there are parts of the economy, such as industries that produce iron, steel, cement, plastic and chemicals that cannot be electrified yet – certainly not at a reasonable cost. That’s one reason why Shell’s Scenarios team believes that 75% of overall global energy demand will be met by traditional sources like oil, gas and nuclear in 2050.
The coming decades will see a bigchange in the way energy is produced, used and made available to people. And I see a combination of renewables, such as wind and solar, and natural gas – the cleanest-burning hydrocarbon – playing an increasingly important role. Modern gas-fired power plants can quickly respond to an increase in demand for electricity when there’s no sun or little wind.
By the end of the century many millions of people in emerging economies will join the middle class. Most will use cell phones and refrigerators. Many will drive cars – or travel in driverless cars – as their quality of life improves.
All this will create enormous pressures on the global energy system. At the same time, we face serious environmental challenges. What kindof air will our children and grandchildren breathe? How will climate change impact the quality of life of people in the most exposed areas, such as coastal regions?
Natural gas is one of the few energy sources that can be used across all sectors of the global economy, including fuelling transport, heating and lighting homes, and powering industries. Reserves are abundant and available in many regions.
The environmental benefits are also clear. In power generation, for example, natural gas emits around half the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and less than one-tenth of air pollutants compared to coal.
Some countries are already taking significant steps to boost the use of natural gas.
China plans to raise the share of naturalgas in primary energy from 6% today to 15% by 2030. It is also widely using gas for transport, with more than 200,000 trucks and buses fuelled by liquefied natural gas (LNG).
In the city of Lanzhou, strict air pollution policies reduced coal consumption by 40% and significantly increased the number of days with clear skies between 2012 and 2016.
Elsewhere, in India, where gas makes up only 8% of the energy mix, the government is moving towards a greater use of gas in the economy, creating infrastructure such as gas pipelines and LNG terminals. In Gujarat, India’s most industrialised state, gas now makes up 25% of the energy system, fuelling transport and cooking, as well as majorplants producing petrochemicals, fertilizers and glass.
In the Philippines, domestic natural gas production fuels 20% of electricity generation. With domestic supply forecast to decline, according to the Department of Energy, the government is introducing policies to promote LNG imports for power generation.
Policies of successive governments will determine the extent to which gas will play a key role in the coming decades. Their decisions must reflect the commitments made at the UN Paris climate summit.
Government-led mechanisms that put a price on CO2 emissions would stimulate the development of lowcarbon and renewable technologies. Singapore, for example, will be the first country in Southeast Asia to havea carbon tax to encourage industries to reduce emissions.
Beyond policy choices from governments, a lot will also depend on the action of energy companies. For Shell’s part, we continue to increase our investment in natural gas, now around half of our total production. And we are exploring commercial opportunities in renewables.
Governments, companies and consumers have the power to shape a new energy future, where renewables and natural gas play critical roles. Now is the time to step up the drive to deliver on the environmental pledges made in Paris. Now is the time to act. ###
The author is Integrated Gas and New Energies Director of Royal Dutch Shell plc.