Cybersecurity in Perspectives

Cybersecurity is crucial to every individual and organisation where it can cause serious losses if not taken seriously.

One out of 10 Malaysians fall victim to identity theft with more than 220 reported cases annually. As alarming as it can be, the public is still unaware of the risks posed in these situations. On the other hand, a research by CyberSecurity Malaysia found that over 80% of local SMEs have not invested in cybersecurity and there were more than 20,000 cases of cybersecurity cases recorded from January 2016 to May 2018, in which a high number of local SMEs are on the victims list. CyberSecurity Malaysia’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Amirudin Abdul Wahab, revealed that all organisations, regardless of size and industry, are prone to cyberattacks. Careful management and data handling is crucial for both individuals and organisations to prevent data from leaking and being misused by perpetrators.

Malaysia’s rapid digitalisation creates an inevitable surge in digital data creation which comes in place with the escalating growth of smartphones and web usage. There are many ways that the perpetrators can use to obtain confidential information illegally which include but not limited to using malwares, man-in-the-middle attacks and phishing where they disguise as a trustworthy individual over a phone call. These cyberattacks maliciously intend to change, wipe out or access sensitive information that can lead to data leaks and business interruption. This is why cybersecurity is important, especially to organisations that have their own databases to ensure all information remain safe from unauthorised access that can lead to worse outcome.

Even though many Malaysian companies slowly but surely started to employ professionals to manage and safeguard their databases, it may not be enough. An appalling percentage of over 53% local organisations have experienced a security breach before but less than 47% of them have the right system to assess or counter it. A high number of local SMEs still do not think that layered, professional cybersecurity is necessary but with the attackers getting more advanced and innovative with their threats, antivirus software and firewalls are no longer efficient enough to hold them off. A solid defense, established with deliberate measures, will be a great prevention to most cyberthreats.

It is about time for the public to be more aware about the importance of cybersecurity, and the consequences that follow if one’s data fail to stay secured. It is no longer just the mere responsibility of the IT department alone but the entire company as a whole and everyone as an individual, worse comes to worst, it may cause devastating losses not only in the financial aspect but privacy too. We can all come together to tackle this problem and enhance Malaysia’s cybersecurity quality by taking necessary precautionary steps, be more careful when handling private information as we strengthen cyber protection instead of just being preventive.