Another month came and went, which means the APAC region witnessed another month of cybersecurity advancements from the collected efforts of all countries within it. Last month, we highlighted some progress that aims to improve the defenses of each APAC country and lessen the impact of cybercrime as a whole. Here are some more good news for this month.
Data Privacy Asia 2018 Goes to Manila
For the second time in years, Data Privacy Asia will be held in the Philippines. Organized by the Contact Center Association of the Philippines (CCAP), the cybersecurity event will be held on September 19-20, 2018 at the Makati Shangri La and will feature more than 15 sessions and 25 speakers from all over the world. CCAP chose the theme “Supercharging Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Programs” as they aim to expand the understanding the impact of global issues in implementing cybersecurity measures.
Data Privacy Asia 2018 will focus heavily on practical advice and implementation guides to improve the data privacy programs of businesses and organizations across the country. The event will host eight hands-on workshops on September 20 to further this mission. We expect that there will be more attendees than the 400 delegates last year as we are rallying everyone, not just those in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, around data privacy and cybersecurity,” CCAP director Tonichi Achurra-Parekh said.
Singapore to Continue Working on Smart Nation
Singapore will now resume their vision of the future after they lifted the delay on their Smart Nation projects three weeks ago. The government decided to pause the development of these projects after hackers stole the confidential data of over 1.5 million patients from the country’s health agency SingHealth. Dubbed as the worst cyberattack the country has ever experienced, it was enough for the government to take a step back and review their cybersecurity policies.
Singapore’s Cyber Security Agency also instructed 11 critical sectors to step up their cybersecurity policies and practices, including healthcare, banking, telecommunications, and energy. "We should not allow such incidents to hold us back in building a Smart Nation and digital Government. We need to persist in our efforts to harness the potential of the digital age, while building deeper expertise in cyber security so that we can do so confidently," the CSA said in a statement.
Australia’s Security Center Gets New HQ
The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) has found a new home at Brindabella Business Park near Canberra Airport. The new facility can house up to 700 people and can provide rapid response to at least 16 incidents a day. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull opened the facility, saying the ACSC is in a “custom-built, custom-designed building, with a classified and unclassified section.” Turnbull said the building will enable the ACSC to reach and engage with the private sector and the various industries.
Turnbull praised the government for showing initiative in the fight against cyberattacks aimed at government agencies and businesses in the country. “Billions of cyber events orchestrated by criminal, and indeed nation state actors are aiming at the very heart of the Australian Government, business and our public life. It is a global threat. Nation states are among the worst and most consistent offenders, persistently targeting Australian institutions across government and business,” he said.
Malaysia is Third Most Cyber Secure Nation
According to the latest Global Cybersecurity Index released by ITU, Malaysia is the third most cyber secure nation in the world. Thanks to the initiatives of CyberSecurity Malaysia (CSM), the country is currently enjoying the benefits of a secure nation. CSM has also won numerous awards because of their hard work, including the prestigious OpenGov’s Recognition of Excellence Award. CSM Chief Executive Officer Dato’ Dr Amirudin shared his thoughts on how they made an impact in the tech industry.
Dr Amirudin said the best way to keep up with the complexities of cyber threats is to develop and deploy modern adaptive cybersecurity solutions that can use predictive detection techniques. He noted that while upgrading cybersecurity tools can be good, it won’t be sufficient in protecting businesses and networks from ever-evolving cyberattacks. Despite their success, the CSM won’t be sitting in their laurels as they continue to innovate security solutions for their various security programs.
