Check Point reported a 423% rise in phishing sites in 2025 and warned that AI will amplify scams in 2026.
Cyber security solutions Check Point Software published its Philippine Threat Landscape Report 2025 which was presented at the inaugural CXO Elite Club Philippines dinner.
The company said the cyber risk environment is intensifying, with criminals shifting from isolated technical attacks to “industrialised” operations targeting the country’s mobile-first population.
Cloud adoption and vendor reliance are widening the attack surface faster than many organisations can secure.
The report said phishing websites rose from 731 in 2024 to 3,824 in 2025, a 423% increase, describing a surge in smishing (SMS phishing) with attackers using telecom-level manipulation to bypass mobile trust barriers.
Check Point reported ransomware incidents increased from 9 in 2024 to 17 in 2025. The Qilin ransomware group was the most aggressive actor, using cross-platform ransomware and double extortion tactics across sectors, including finance, retail, healthcare, manufacturing, and more.
Social media impersonation cases rose from 940 to 1,291 (up 37%), with the report stating banks were the hardest hit and that attackers are using AI chatbots to scale investment scams. It also reported source code leaks increased from 38 to 81, while third-party breach incidents doubled from 8 to 29.
Looking ahead, Check Point predicted AI will amplify existing fraud techniques in 2026, and projected growth in NFC payment fraud alongside Google Pay and expanding local e-wallets. It also warned that deepfakes and misinformation will increasingly target brands, executives, and political institutions.
Ritchelle Santos, Senior Cyber Threat Intelligence Analyst, Check Point Exposure Management Research, said: “In an environment where identity, trust, and mobile channels are the new battleground, the safest organisations will be those that protect their digital footprints as carefully as they protect their networks. Staying safe now means verifying everything — every message, every transaction, and every identity — every time.”
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