PLDT-Smart invests P2B to boost cybersecurity ops

Pangilinan-led telco giant PLDT Inc. and its mobile unit Smart Communications are boosting its cybersecurity capacity to combat online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC). 

In a statement, PLDT-Smart said it is investing close to P2 billion this year to run their “advanced cybersecurity operations center.’

“This is where we predict, prevent, detect, and respond to all types of cyber threats including those related to OSAEC. This is where we identify phishing and scamming activities. Now, this includes notifying our enterprise subscribers of attacks and high-risk activities inside their network,” said Angel Redoble, chief information security officer of PLDT-Smart and ePLDT.

The multibillion-peso investment has enabled the PLDT and Smart to block 3,020 domains that host illicit materials featuring children as mandated by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC). 

“We expanded our sources on these illegal sites so we can block as many domains as possible. We’ve been doing open-source threat intelligence gathering, purchasing available commercial threat intelligence and receiving information from our government through law enforcement agencies on which sites to block,” said Francisco Ashley Acedillo, Smart chief strategy officer of the Cybersecurity Operations Group.

The challenge is to block access to a specific material without restricting access to the legitimate website where it was uploaded, according to the telco.

“It’s a combination of technologies. We bring our customers to our child protection platform where we reference the content they’re trying to access against our database. When they’re trying to open any offensive content, they’re brought to a landing page telling them that the material violates the country’s anti-child porn laws,” Redoble said.

Crucial to this platform is PLDT and Smart’s membership with the UK-based Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) – a leading international non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating online child abuse content.

Once completed, this will enable both companies to gain access to an extensive database of web pages hosting these objectionable materials.

“IWF will regularly update us on child abuse related materials being posted on legitimate websites. Then we’ll integrate that into our platform. We’re looking to complete our application for membership with the IWF in March. Once we have done this, we will migrate all our customers on board our child protection platform,” Redoble said.—AOL, GMA News