MANILA Central University (MCU) last week launched the country’s first Cybersecurity Posture Assessment Lab (CPAL) that assesses and enhances the cyber resilience of organizations amid rising online threats.
“I hope CPAL can be a key initiative that can contribute to bolstering the cybersecurity posture of organizations, strengthening the prevention and protection against cybersecurity attacks,” Private Sector Advisory Council Digital Infrastructure, Cybersecurity Matter Expert Larry S. Galang said at the launch on July 10.
The facility, located inside the university, can conduct a risk assessment of an organization and give recommendations to improve the mitigation of threats and vulnerabilities.
“Cybercriminals have a very fertile opportunity and ground for them to exploit and to gain financial advantage, considering the volume of data and money moving in the digital arena,” Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Ivan John E. Uy said at the event.
He said the inauguration of CPAL is a “testament to the strong collaboration between the public and private sector,” which is crucial in enhancing the country’s digital landscape and fortifying its cyber defense.
Mr. Uy added that the vendor-neutral laboratory can give organizations the freedom to do their testing to avoid biased assessments from firms looking to sell their cybersecurity products, he said.
CPAL is endorsed by the DICT and also received regulatory support from bodies such as Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the Insurance Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the National Privacy Commission.
It was established in collaboration with Nullforge, a cybersecurity assessment provider.
MCU Executive Vice-President Chynna Roxanne R. Gonzalez said the maintenance of the facility will be handled by external partners like Blackfire. Alongside the lab’s launch, MCU is also incorporating a cybersecurity program into its Bachelor of Science in Information Technology curriculum.
CPAL will also offer certification programs aligned with industry standards, providing continuous learning and development opportunities for professionals, she added. “We’re offering it already this coming August… In terms of the manpower, the certification is already open.” — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante
