As we browse the internet, there are many things that catch our attention, from websites to emails to text messages to social media posts, but can we really guarantee the safety of our data as we click on what we see online? Recently, Encrypted provided invaluable insights on cybersecurity, from current threats to applicable solutions.

Motivated by the statistics showing the widespread damage caused by cybersecurity threats in the Philippines, Project Heads Kristopher Malayao and Wayne Matthew Quebrado created this event to make the audience aware of the most prominent cybersecurity risks. Ransomware, phishing, and social engineering are examples of such threats that many people, even at the government, have fallen for.

“Dumadami yung phishing sites na nangyayari dito, so I guess we have to do something about it. So kaya nagkaroon ng event yung JOs for at least awareness for these kinds of things para at least we are able to come up with a solution to prevent these,” said Quebrado.

“One important factor din kasi na inisip namin was maraming mga phishing scams na tulad sa GCash at BDO, like yung mga messages na they seem real, pero yun pala fake lang kasi there's like links to it na parang, you're not supposed to click on it,” said Malayao.

To give the participants the best insights on cybersecurity, the event featured Mr. Keinaz Domingo as its speaker. Being the Cybersecurity Section Head at Philippine Power Grid with a Master’s degree in Information Security, he was perfectly suited to give a unique and in-depth perspective on the state of cybersecurity in our country and tips to combat them as students.

“We want our audience to know they have to be responsible to protect their own privacy. In today's age, they’re very vulnerable to attacks, and with the rise of mga AI, it adds further problems especially for cybersecurity. We would like them to be responsible and teach yung mga natutunan nila which is the lessons they got from Mr. Domingo to others, and yung others na yun, sana they are able to have a domino effect and they are able to teach one another,” said Quebrado.

After the lecture by Mr. Keinaz, the participants were given a chance to apply their learnings through the event’s workshops. In the Mail or Malice activity, the participants had to discern which emails are true or fake. In the Case Study activity, the participants got to analyze real life examples of cybersecurity issues, and they were tasked to explain the kind of threat it was and how to solve it.

“We said workshop kasi it's more bagay na hands-on interactive yung mangyayari, hindi lang through talks. So hindi siya yung type of workshop na inexpect ng mga participants,” said Malayao.

As hackers get smarter and smarter, it is our responsibility to find ways to protect our data. If you don’t know where to start, events like Encrypted can teach you what cybersecurity threats to look out for and how you can protect yourself from them.