MANILA, Philippines (Aug 2026) : Over 19.2 million Pinoy user credentials were leaked during the first half of the year, revealing a massive wave of digital threats hitting local accounts. The findings come from the latest Cyber Threat Landscape Report released by Viettel Cyber Security, which tracks how cybercriminals are using artificial intelligence and stolen personal data to target everyday users and critical local industries.
In total, 255 data breach incidents exposed roughly 335 million records and 2.6 terabytes of data across the Philippines between January and June 2026.
Massive data leaks and credential theft
The first six months of 2026 saw coordinated attacks against organizations handling sensitive information. A series of security breaches targeting financial institutions between March and April compromised around 99 million records. A separate incident involving a public service agency exposed another 45 million records.
Attackers also deployed malicious software inside enterprise networks, exfiltrating 1.8 terabytes of confidential internal data from financial organizations.
AI deepfakes cloning voices and faces
Rather than relying solely on technical exploits, scammers are increasingly targeting human trust. The combination of leaked personal data and generative AI allows attackers to build highly personalized schemes.
Viettel Cyber Security recorded 16,619 phishing attempts nationwide, including common “account locked” SMS messages. However, the report highlights a growing risk from AI-generated deepfake voices and videos. Scammers use these tools to impersonate bank representatives, government workers, or relatives to trick victims into handing over One-Time Passwords (OTPs) or approving transactions.
Romance scams, fake job recruitments, and delivery package tricks using stolen personal info are also on the rise.
Unpatched systems and vulnerable software
Many attacks relied on unpatched software flaws. The report identified 34,650 new vulnerabilities recorded globally in H1 2026, including 77 high-impact cases affecting products and services widely used across the country.
Key affected sectors include finance, hospitality, logistics, manufacturing, and energy. In response, financial institutions are working under updated security rules from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, while government agencies continue expanding posture assessment programs to boost readiness.
How to stay protected online
To guard against modern digital scams, individual users should stay alert when receiving unexpected calls or messages claiming to be from official institutions. Never share OTPs or personal credentials, and always verify suspicious requests through official customer service channels.
For companies, integrating real-time threat detection and maintaining continuous software updates remain critical defenses.
Read the full report on the Viettel Cyber Security Report Page.
