A Filipino computer forensic analyst was awarded the prestigious cyber security international award in Las Vegas, Nevada recently.

Alexander Ramos, of Bacolod City and San Juan, Metro Manila, topped the 2007 search for the Best Digital Investigators in the World and received the 2007 Timothy Fidel Award for Excellence in Computer Forensic Investigations during the World Cyber Security Summit held at the Loews Lake Resort in Las Vegas May 7-9.

Ramos was cited in a testimonial led by Howard Schmidt, special adviser for Cyber Security for the White House, and member of the United States President's Committee of Advisers on Science and Technology.

The awarding committee cited the efforts of Ramos in "undertaking the mission to break the backbone of an international hacking syndicate operating in the Philippines in one of the longest hacking investigating ever conducted by Philippine authorities." According to the Asian Journal report, "Ramos led the Philippine National Police team to uncover the hacking activities of a syndicate preying on the vulnerability of telecommunication networks around the world."

The report also noted the involvement of Ramos in the efforts against the spread of child pornography in the Asia-Pacific Region, and that he has joined operations and investigations against organized crime groups preying on the youth.

Guidance Software Inc., a global firm involved in digital investigations, said Ramos was chosen for the award named in memory of Special Agent Timothy Fidel, a pioneer and advocate of cyber forensics. Fidel, who died on October 29, 2004 at the age of 50, was a special agent with the United States Secret Service and the Environmental Protection Agency of the Criminal Investigation Division of the U.S.

Interviewed about his reaction to the award, Ramos said, "I am happy that, somehow, people still notice that we are good at something. I never even thought I would be chosen. I did not even know that I had been nominated."

Alex Ramos is the son of Orlando Ramos of Bacolod City and the former Rizalina Kapawan of Hinigaran. He is married to the former Anna Marie (Pinky) Rio, also of Bacolod City.*

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