Amid increase in cyber incidents by 75%, Eastern Communications highlights cybersecurity and network solutions in tech huddles

PHOTO: Eastern Communications holds Product Track tech huddles to help businesses evolve digitally.

This reported number of incidents in the Philippines is greater than the APAC average of 59%.

Against the backdrop of smart technology and digital transformation, businesses are discovering new opportunities and high-end capabilities to gain a competitive advantage. While this may be true, there has also been a steady increase in inherent and residual risks, such as cybersecurity threats. 

The rise of e-commerce and digital transactions during and after the pandemic posed risks to the cybersecurity of many users. Especially for small and medium-sized businesses, the problem stems from a lack of assets and expertise, affecting their business security and operations. Based on the latest data from Sophos, a British-based security software and hardware company, there was a 57% increase in cyberattacks over the last year. Moreover, the complexity and impact of the attacks have also alarmingly increased. But according to research from U.S. corporate investigation and risk consulting firm Kroll, 75% of organizations in the Philippines have experienced a cyber incident in 2022, which is much higher than the APAC average of 59%.

In addition, many business leaders lack cybersecurity preparedness and there is insufficient awareness from employees who are on the frontline of cyber threats. According to Statista, there were more phishing attacks in the Philippines during the first half of 2022, with over 1.8 million attacks as compared to a record of 1.34 million for the entire year of 2021. Payment systems, online businesses, and regional banks were among the primary targets of some of the most prevalent malware attacks in the country.

In order to address the increase in cybersecurity threats, Eastern Communications exhibits its commitment to bolstering the resilience of enterprises through its suite of cybersecurity services and educational seminar series.

Eastern Communications’ Cyber Defense suite offers business-grade services that help companies manage threats before, during, and after the attack. Eastern Next Generation Firewall (NGFW) reduces complexity and manages security risks and delivers proactive threat protection to stay ahead of the rapidly expanding threat landscape. Additionally, Eastern Communications’ Endpoint Security and SSL Certificates enable companies to secure their entry points to organizational networks to prevent malicious attacks from the get-go. 

Businesses that highly utilize digital also need not worry with Eastern Communications’ top-of-the-line DDoS Protection, Web Application Firewall, and Cloud & Server Security. These tools let you have a worry-free digital operation as it filters and blocks any illegitimate and suspicious web traffic. 

Large enterprises that require a more reliable cybersecurity partner can take advantage of Eastern’s Security Operations Center as a Service (SOCaaS), a cost-efficient yet comprehensive end-to-end solution for advanced cyber threats. Eastern Communications also helps assess companies’ cybersecurity needs through Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing (VAPT). 

Apart from providing an extensive portfolio of cybersecurity products, the telco also encourages businesses to get back on track by discussing the latest trends in the cyberthreat landscape through its series of Eastern Huddle: Product Track events attended by  IT partners and leaders.

Eastern Communications kicked off the series with “Cybersecurity: Emerging Cybersecurity Trends and What it Means for Your Business” in partnership with Sophos. Held at Holiday Inn Makati, the event highlighted the importance of security for all users, following the advent of digital transformation and revolution. Guests were able to learn digital trends from Sophos Security Solutions Engineer Ed Teodoro and Eastern Communications Product Architect Jovee Gecha.

“Not all organizations have the same level of digital transformation, we recommend that in each stage, your cybersecurity needs should be upgraded to be ahead or at the same level as your digital transformation journey,” said Teodoro. 

Furthermore, the telco teams up with the industry leader in networking, Cisco, for the next session entitled “Network Solutions: How Can SD-WAN & SASE Help Digitally Transform Your Business.” Guest speakers Cisco Virtual Sales Specialist Drea Juan and Eastern Communications Product Manager Khan Taganas tackled the benefits and impact of future-ready Network Solutions which can be scaled to cater to customers’ demands and keep businesses running smoothly wherever they may be.

According to Taganas, the main reasons why organizations or companies are considering SD-WAN consist of the adoption of cloud resources, the preference for next-generation technology, the search for operational and agility tools for digital transformation, and the desire to reduce costs.

“We provide a platform that helps customers boost operational efficiency and improve customer experience. Our aim is to minimize troubleshooting and allow our IT users to do so remotely,” said Cisco Virtual Sales Specialist Drea Juan. 

The Eastern Huddle is an ongoing series of industry thought-leadership seminars organized by Eastern Communications. To join, visit facebook.com.ph/easterncommph or log on to eastern.com.ph.