DICT may become victim of data breach due to reduced cybersecurity, confidential funds, chief says

The DICT said it could also become a victim of a data breach if it will not be allocated the budget it needs to maintain its security system in 2024.

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DICT needs PHP 600 million in cybersecurity fund

According to a CNN Philippines report, DICT Secretary Ivan Uy said the department needs PHP 600 million for its cybersecurity system. This is for training cybersecurity experts, upgrading equipment, and renewing security system subscriptions which are expiring next year.

If it does not get this allocation, he said the agency might end up like PhilHealth, which was a recent victim of a ransomware attack.

Uy said DICT had a PHP 600 million cybersecurity fund in 2022. In 2023, the same amount was allocated but was divided into cybersecurity and confidential funds. The proposed budget for cybersecurity was reduced to PHP 300 million in 2024.

DICT also lost its proposed confidential funds for 2024 after lawmakers realigned this to agencies focusing on national security.

Uy said DICT was given PHP 25 million which was placed under its MOOE. He pointed out, however, that payment to informants cannot be sourced from the regular funds.

What will happen there is that say we get an informant, we have to ask them to issue us a receipt and then we have to get their identification, those things, which will mean that these guys will be floating in the Pasig River by tomorrow, he said.

Uy said DICT plans to appeal this issue to Congress.

Cyberwar is a reality, it's increasing in sophistication, it’s increasing in scale and the threats to our infrastructure are serious, he pointed out.

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Via: CNN PH