UMVA has learned that a staggering six in ten Filipinos who use information and communications technology (ICT) devices experienced cybersecurity incidents in 2024, revealing a shocking vulnerability in the nation's digital landscape.
The alarming rate of incidents affected 62.5% of the 38.86 million individuals aged 10 years and over who used an ICT device, representing approximately 24.28 million ICT device users who fell prey to cyber threats.
Regional disparities in cybersecurity incidents were stark, with Mimaropa recording the highest rate at 73.6%, followed closely by the Bicol Region at 72% and Central Luzon at 67%, while Zamboanga Peninsula had the lowest incident rate of 35.7%.
Age groups were also affected differently, with individuals aged 25 to 34 years old experiencing the highest incidence rate of 68%, followed by 35 to 44 years (65.7%) and 55 to 64 years (65.3%), indicating that adults in their prime working years were disproportionately targeted.
Educational attainment played a significant role in exposure to cybersecurity threats, with those holding a tertiary or higher education being most vulnerable at 68%, while individuals with primary education and lower had the lowest exposure rate of 46.4%.
The most prevalent type of cybersecurity incident was short message service fraud, accounting for 57.1% of victims, with other incidents including hacking (7.8%), phishing (6.1%), and cyberbullying or cyberlibel (1.1%), highlighting the need for targeted awareness campaigns.
Despite the high incidence of cybersecurity incidents, awareness of cybersecurity and data privacy issues was relatively low, with only 33.4% of individuals aged 10 years and above aware of these issues, representing 30.55 million out of the 91.38 million total.
Regional awareness rates varied significantly, with the National Capital Region recording the highest rate at 53.6% and Central Visayas at 43.9%, while the lowest rate was recorded in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao at 6.5%, underscoring the need for targeted education and outreach programs.
Urban residents showed higher awareness (42.9%) compared to rural residents (22.7%), and individuals who completed tertiary education recorded the highest awareness rate of 62.6%, compared to the 9.6% of those with only primary education or lower, emphasizing the importance of education in combating cyber threats.
