The Bottom Line Upfront

The volume of malicious cyber activity against the Philippines has quadrupled in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, with a surge in cyber misinformation and hacking campaigns coinciding with rising tensions between the Philippines and China.

The Breakdown

  • The cyberattacks consist of hack and leak, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS), and misinformation and influence campaigns, primarily targeting government and educational institutions in the Philippines. The goal of these attacks is to discredit the government and create chaos via cyberspace.
  • An increase in cyberattacks and misinformation targeting the Philippines highlights the growing threat of state-sponsored cyber espionage and the potential impact it can have on a country's stability and security, analysts warn.
  • The cyberattacks against the Philippines have seen a four-fold increase in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period last year.
  • The attacks primarily target government agencies and educational institutions in the Philippines, with associated data leaks causing discontent in the country.
  • Recent cyberattacks are believed to be orchestrated by nation-state actors, likely from China or possibly North Korea.
  • Some of the attacks involve hacktivist-related monikers to avoid attribution and create the perception of homegrown social conflict online.