Case Study: ePLDT achieves stronger child online protection—securing encrypted traffic and blocking 1 billion blacklisted URL access attempts with Palo Alto Networks

PLDT and Smart Communications fortify child protection with a custom-built solution

PLDT, the Philippines’ largest integrated telecommunications company, and its wireless subsidiary Smart set out to build a Child Protection Platform to keep children safe online while respecting Philippine privacy laws. Facing an expanding attack surface, illicit content filtering through legitimate domains, and strict legal limits on inspecting user data, they needed a tailor‑built, fully automated AI solution that minimized false positives and could operate across fixed and wireless networks.

They selected Palo Alto Networks’ platform—Machine Learning Next‑Generation Firewalls with cloud‑delivered services (Advanced URL Filtering, WildFire) and Cortex XSOAR—to power an automated, orchestrated protection workflow. The integrated system operationalizes content blocking and URL redirection in compliance with regulations, is scalable for 5G growth, and has blocked over one billion access attempts to blacklisted URLs in real time since November 2021.

ePLDT

Angel Redoble

Group CISO