UK firm says disruptive methods needed to close PHL cybersecurity talent gap

NCC GROUP, a cybersecurity advisory company from the UK, said the Philippines will need to explore new ways of building up its talent base to confront the cybersecurity threat.

“Filling the talent gap, especially in the Philippines, will require disrupting traditional methods on how we go about building our talent pool that can help organizations prevent these increasingly sophisticated cyber threats,” Kevin Brown, NCC Group’s Global chief operating officer said in a statement issued on Oct. 22.

The firm is tapping local talent through university partnerships and expanding its Manila team.

It has onboarded more than 120 professionals since it opened its office in November and expects further growth before the year ends.

“Our Philippine team has been instrumental in helping our firm achieve our goal of demystifying cybersecurity and making it accessible to all,” he said.

Mr. Brown said during the company’s first year, he saw firsthand how these professionals were able to assist the firm in supporting the world’s largest organizations in developing and managing their cybersecurity strategies.

The NCC Group has also conducted talks and seminars at various universities in Metro Manila to demonstrate its commitment to addressing the lack of cybersecurity professionals.

Meanwhile, NCC also noted the country’s improving overall performance in cybersecurity.

The Philippines recorded a cybersecurity score of 93.49 points this year, from 77 points in 2020, according to the United Nations Global Cyber Security Index.

As a result, the country is now classified as Tier 2, indicating an advancing cybersecurity performance.

The company said this progress aligns with the adoption of the National Cyber Security Plan by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), which was approved earlier this year.

However, Mr. Brown also highlighted the need for policies to account for emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, especially since their effect and how these will reshape cybersecurity have yet to be established.

“As well-meaning as these policies can be, however, barriers to its effective implementation could pose a challenge for organizations around the world, as they are compelled to navigate through complex and at times overlapping regulations,” Mr. Brown added. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante