From malware attacks to the hacking of smartphone technology, countries and private organizations in the Asia-Pacific need to prepare for a wave of cyber threats in 2019. This year, the stolen personal data of 160,000 patients of Singapore’s healthcare IT systems underscored the cyber shortcomings of a region that can easily fall prey to attacks in ever-evolving landscape.
“An organization’s cyber security culture will drastically impact its ability to foster customer loyalty or business relationships,” William Tam, director of sales engineering at Forcepoint Asia-Pacific, told Computer Weekly, adding that relying on artificial intelligence to catch malicious actors is not sufficient. “Organizations need to ensure that good cybersecurity hygiene is maintained at all times to remain competitive, and is as visible as any top industry accreditations or certifications, since breaches and poor cyber practices can no longer be hidden.”
In March, HSToday reported that more than two-thirds of Asia-Pacific cybersecurity leaders believe there will be a major successful attack on multiple countries’ critical infrastructure in the next two years.
Experts told Computer Weekly that threats include:
- Malware attacks
- Exploitation of security loopholes in the ever-expanding universe of cloud computing
- Home-based Wi-Fi routers and poorly secured Internet of Things devices
- Cryptocurrency attacks
The White House 2018 National Cyber Strategy, which was released in September, specifically named China, North Korea, Russia and Iran as the conductors of cyber attacks.
“They hide behind notions of sovereignty while recklessly violating the laws of other states by engaging in pernicious economic espionage and malicious cyber activities, causing significant economic disruption and harm to individuals, commercial and non-commercial interests, and governments across the world,” the strategy states. “They view cyberspace as an arena where the United States’ overwhelming military, economic, and political power could be neutralized and where the United States and its allies and partners are vulnerable.”
Read Computer Weekly’s Report Here.
