The PLDT Group achieved a remarkable feat in cybersecurity by becoming the first and only Philippine-based organization to join the global Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST), the world’s leading association of incident response and security teams.
The PLDT Group’s Cyber Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT) was officially admitted to FIRST, giving the telco group access to valuable data and tools that will further strengthen its defense against cyberthreats and attacks. By joining FIRST, the PLDT Group can also leverage the collective expertise and experience of more than 700 incident response teams from governments, businesses, and the academe in more than 100 countries around the world.
“FIRST is a prestigious and exclusive community of cybersecurity professionals who share their knowledge and best practices on how to prevent, detect, and respond to cyber incidents. As a member of FIRST, we can enhance our capabilities and protect our customers and their data more effectively,” said Angel Redoble, Chief Information Security Officer at PLDT, Smart and ePLDT.
FIRST was established in 1990 to foster cooperation and coordination among incident response and security teams on issues of mutual interest, such as new vulnerabilities or widespread attacks. The organization also provides a platform for members to exchange information, share tools, and collaborate on solutions.
“The PLDT Group can, likewise, share its extensive experience in fending off cyber-attacks and preventing cybersecurity incidents with our fellow FIRST members,” added Redoble.
The PLDT Group has demonstrated its resilience and readiness in cybersecurity by thwarting more than 16 billion cyber-attacks and attempts to breach its network in 2023. It has also prevented more than 18 billion attempts to open malicious domains in the same period.
The group also keeps its customers secure from cyber-attacks by preventing attempts to open malicious domains and blacklisting malicious URLs and links tied to phishing, spam, hoaxes, and other illegal activities.
