AI is helping hackers outpace PH firms’ cyber defenses – report

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Artificial intelligence is accelerating cyberattacks faster than many Philippine companies can strengthen their defenses, leaving businesses increasingly vulnerable as the shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals persists, according to Fortinet’s 2026 Global Cybersecurity Skills Gap Report.

The report suggests that while organizations are rapidly adopting AI to improve security, cybercriminals are using the same technology to launch faster and more sophisticated attacks, creating an escalating digital arms race.

Among the 60 Philippine IT and cybersecurity decision-makers surveyed, 93 percent said their organizations suffered at least one cyber breach over the past 12 months, while 28 percent experienced five or more incidents.

READ MORE: Apple Pay launches in the Philippines

The financial impact has also grown.

More than half of the respondents, or 52 percent, said cyber breaches cost their organizations more than $1 million.

READ MORE: US stocks rally near a record as oil prices ease

Recovery has become increasingly difficult, with 70 percent saying it took at least a month to recover from an attack. In 2025, the average recovery period stretched to three months.

Cyber threats

Malware, phishing and ransomware remain the country’s most common cyber threats. But Fortinet said AI is now making these attacks more effective and harder to stop.

READ MORE: Cebu PB urges schools to integrate AI courses, skills

Fifty-seven percent of Philippine respondents identified AI-powered threats as the biggest structural driver of cyber risk, ranking ahead of fragmented security systems, alert fatigue, regulatory pressures and the continuing shortage of cybersecurity talent.

“AI is fundamentally changing how organizations defend against cyber threats, but it is also changing the skills security teams need to succeed,” said Bambi Escalante, Fortinet’s country manager for the Philippines.

She said organizations now need to invest not only in new security technologies but also in developing expertise in artificial intelligence, automation and cybersecurity governance.

The study found that Philippine companies are also embracing AI as a defensive tool.

About 94 percent are already using or testing AI-powered cybersecurity solutions, while 91 percent said these technologies have improved their security operations.

However, confidence remains tempered by concern.

Nearly half, or 49 percent, identified defending against AI-powered attacks as one of their biggest cybersecurity challenges.

Skills shortage

Compounding the problem is the industry’s persistent skills shortage.

For the third consecutive year, 71 percent of IT leaders cited the lack of cybersecurity talent as the leading factor contributing to successful breaches.

Hiring has become more difficult as demand shifts toward AI expertise.

Nearly three-fourths of respondents, or 73 percent, said their biggest recruitment challenge is finding candidates with practical AI cybersecurity skills.

Another 63 percent said they need more senior-level cybersecurity professionals, but 55 percent struggle to secure approval to expand their security teams.

The demand for specialized talent is expected to continue rising.

Seventy-eight percent of respondents expect organizations to create more AI oversight and governance roles over the next three years as businesses integrate AI more deeply into their cybersecurity operations.

Despite hiring constraints, organizations are increasing investments in workforce development.

Ninety-six percent of respondents said they prefer hiring candidates with cybersecurity certifications, up from 82 percent last year.

Meanwhile, 98 percent said they are likely to invest in AI-focused cybersecurity training and certification programs within the next 12 months.

Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.