Heaptalk, Jakarta – The covid-19 has urged the world to conduct digital transformation in almost all business sectors massively. However, the high rate of digital growth is always shadowed by security attacks that causing trillions of dollars in financial loss and operational impacts to public and business actors. In addition, a cyber-attack is a criminal act that has brought hazards to national security and can destroy society’s trust in the digital economy and the internet. For these reasons, cyber-attack that has insistently struck is a critical problem that cannot be solved alone.
“Cybersecurity is an important national agenda that cannot rely solely on the back of IT team. It should be a priority and responsibility of all individuals, as we continue to see cyber-criminal activities rise exponentially with the proliferation of data and digital connectivity,” shared Amirudin Abdul Wahab, CEO of CyberSecurity Malaysia.
Microsoft that realize the importance of collaboration in the war against cyber-attack, has initiated the form of Cyber Security Executive Council. The council is the first commission that contains policymakers from 7 countries in the Asia Pacific (APAC), namely Brunei, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand, and supported by cyber-security experts from Microsoft.
“Cyber threats and attacks are inevitable in this interconnected world, which is why our collective strength and collaboration as a community is imperative. Today’s announcement is the first step towards defending our communities in cyberspace, and I’m excited to announce the launch of the first APAC Public Sector Cybersecurity Executive Council with the founding members that include government leaders, policymakers, regulators, industry stakeholders across the region. Our joint mission is to build a strong coalition, to strengthen our cybersecurity defense,” stated Sherie Ng, General Manager, Public Sector, Microsoft Asia Pacific.
The Firm that was established in the US purposely chose APAC as the place to build the council by considering the greater number of cyber-attack that hit the region compares to others. According to Microsoft, the number of malware and ransomware that hit APAC were 1.6 and 1.7 times, respectively, higher than other regions. The high rate of these attacks demonstrated significant enhancement in countries that aggressively boost their digital adoption. Indonesia, a country in APAC where the digital transformation growth has competed with India and China, becomes one of the countries that suffered the highest of cyber-attack. Regardless of the malware rates declined 24% over the past 18 months, ransomware encountered in the region has increased 31%.
By forming the council, Microsoft and all incorporated parties have made a resilient cyber defense global eco-system that supports each other. At the forefront of the council’s vision is the drive to build a community where threat intelligence, technology, and resources can be shared in a timely and open manner. Microsoft, a giant corporation that has mastered the cybersecurity field, will share the best practice to respond and overcome the threat.
Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, during the keynote fireside chat at the Microsoft APAC Public Sector Summit (05/06), stated that Microsoft had witnessed the second wave of digital metamorphosis where governments have accelerated their implementation of technology initiatives to establish resilience and transform. He highlighted the need to have a robust digital foundation for the public sector to succeed by enforcing a data-driven strategy. (WLN)
