2. z
Key Questions
What are the greatest
concerns (cyber threats)?
What are the most
important weaknesses in
cyber security?
What initiatives are being
taken by countries in SEA
to build cyber resiliency?
3. z
Cyber Threats Facing Southeast Asia
(ASEAN)
3
Benjamin Ang | Centre of Excellence for National Security | RSIS
Cybersecurity and National Security
4. z
Incidents in ASEAN 2018-2019
Singapore
2,400 MINDEF/ SAF personnel,
by phishing a 3rd party vendor
Singapore
14,200 people diagnosed with
HIV, taken by ex-lover of a doctor
with access
Thailand and Vietnam
Toyota customer data, no details
given
Philippines
82,150 customers of Wendy’s
Philippines
900,000 customers of pawnshop
Cebuana
Thailand
45,000 customers of True Corp
mobile
Malaysia
46 million mobile subscribers’ data
[source: CSO Online]
5. z
APTs and their targets in Asia
APT Target countries Target entities
FunnyDream
(C)
Malaysia, Philippines,
Thailand, Vietnam
High-level government
organisations; political parties
Platinum Indonesia, Malaysia,
Vietnam
Diplomatic and government
entities
Cycldek (C) Laos, Philippines,
Thailand, Vietnam
Government, defence, and
energy sectors
HoneyMyte Myanmar, Singapore,
Vietnam
Government organisations
Finspy Indonesia, Myanmar,
Vietnam
Individuals
PhantomLance Indonesia, Malaysia,
Vietnam
Entities
Zebrocy (R) Malaysia, Thailand Entities [source: Kaspersky]
Economic and
Geopolitical
intelligence
gathering
6. z
Cybercrime in ASEAN
INTERPOL ASEAN Cybercrime
Operations Desk reported
increase in 2019
Botnets
Phishing
Business email compromise
(BEC)
Banking malware
Ransomware
Cryptojacking
Vulnerability is due to
Quicker digital transactions
Greater internet connectivity
Growing digital economies
Asia becoming digital asset
hub
Lacking cybersecurity
investment
Low awareness
Source: INTERPOL
7. z
Cybercrime has risen since the
COVID-19 Pandemic started
Sharp increase in Cybercrime
cases in Singapore 2019-
2020
Global increase in
COVID-19 themed phishing
emails impersonating
government and health
authorities
Ransomware on hospitals
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
16000
18000
2019 2020
Cybercrime Cases
2019 2020
Source: INTERPOL, CSA and CNA
10. z
Recent developments in ASEAN that
accelerated cyber threats
Changes
Pandemic WFH + HBL
Pandemic forced digital
transformation
More IOT (Smart everything)
US-China Great Power
Competition
Impact
More targets online
More data on insecure
systems
More reliance on networks
Impact on supply chains
Benjamin Ang | Centre of Excellence for National Security | RSIS
Cybersecurity and National Security
11. zChallenges and Weaknesses in ASEAN
Differences in
Concepts
• What is Cyber:
Technology or
Information?
• What are the
core values:
Freedom? Law
and order?
Differences in
Threat Perception
• Who is a Cyber
Threat?
• Can I tolerate
their actions
(e.g., breach,
espionage)?
Differences in
Cyber Maturity
• Who is in
charge?
• What Cyber
problem do I fix
first?
• What resources
or skills do I
have?
Benjamin Ang | Centre of Excellence for National Security | RSIS
Cybersecurity and National Security
12. z
ASEAN needs cyber
capacity building
ASEAN needs Cyberspace, because
Digital Transformation can bring
economic progress for all Member
States
BUT Member States have different
levels of cyber maturity
Cyber attackers will attack ASEAN
through the weakest Member States
because of high connectivity
Role of private sector?
13. z
What ASEAN is doing
Capacity Building
ASEAN-Singapore Cyber Centre
of Excellence (US $22 million)
ASEAN-Japan Cybersecurity
Capacity Building Centre in
Thailand
ADMM Cyber and Information
Centre of Excellence (ACICE) in
Singapore
UN-Singapore Cyber Diplomacy
Training
ASEAN-Japan Cyber Capacity
Development Projects
Joint Exercises
ACID Drill for CERTS
ASEAN-Japan Cyber Exercises
Sharing cyber threat information
(between CERTS)
Contact list
Benjamin Ang | Centre of Excellence for National Security | RSIS
Cybersecurity and National Security
14. z
What next?
14
Southeast Asian states
Are large and growing digital
markets
Need cyber capacity building
Want to balance Great
Powers
Who will step in?
Benjamin Ang | Centre of Excellence for National Security | RSIS
Cybersecurity and National Security
@benjaminang