UK, Philippines Cyber Defences Lag Amid Rising AI-Driven Attacks

Recent reports highlight significant challenges in cybersecurity readiness globally, with government and private sectors struggling to keep pace with increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. UK government cyber defenses are criticized for lagging behind hostile states and criminals, with vulnerable legacy IT systems comprising a substantial portion of public sector infrastructure and a shortage of skilled cyber professionals impeding progress. High-profile cyber attacks on UK retailers have underlined the urgency, prompting calls for comprehensive IT system audits and increased investment in digital expertise and competitive salaries for cybersecurity talent. Similarly, in the Philippines, only a small fraction of organizations have achieved mature cybersecurity readiness, with 85% experiencing AI-related security incidents and many lacking sufficient understanding of AI-driven threats. Experts emphasize that AI is essential in modern cybersecurity, offering advanced detection, automation, and response capabilities that help security teams manage the growing volume and complexity of attacks, yet many organizations are still not leveraging AI effectively. Additionally, the rapid acceleration of attack speeds, sometimes resulting in data exfiltration within an hour, underscores the critical need for organizations to adopt AI-driven security measures and close visibility gaps across multiple attack surfaces.