By Yusrin Junaidi –
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, SEPT 18 – In an effort to overcome digital threats and explore innovative solutions, Cyber Security Brunei (CSB) and the Brunei Cyber Security Association (BCSA) have organized the 2nd Brunei Cyber Security Conference (CySec 2024), for two days at Indera Samudra Grand Hall, The Empire Brunei, today.
The inauguration of the launch of CySec 2024 was completed by the Minister of Transport and Infocommunications, Yang Berhormat Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Shamhary bin Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Mustapha, as the minister responsible for cyber security.
Thematic conference Cyber Vigilance and Data Sovereignty: Protecting the Digital Horizon that aims to emphasize the importance of cyber security in the digital landscape and increase the understanding and implementation of effective cyber security measures among local organisations.
Yang Berhormat Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Shamhary in his speech said that cyber security is more than just technology, it is also about cultivating a culture of vigilance. As threats evolve, vigilance will always be one of the strongest defenses in protecting what is most valuable.
According to Yang Berhormat Dato again, in 2023, Southeast Asia will experience an unprecedented wave of cyber attacks targeting critical sectors such as health, government and financial institutions, thereby affecting services and digital infrastructure.
“It is also important to understand and differentiate between cyber threats and cyber crimes. Both carry significant but different risks that need to be addressed with their own strategies,” he said.
Cyber threats mainly involve attacks on critical infrastructure, data leaks and disruptions to services, which target national security, economic stability and public safety. In contrast, cybercrimes, such as fraud, identity theft and fraud, are usually financially motivated and directly impact citizens and businesses.
“To deal with cyber threats, our focus must be on strengthening the country’s cyber defense and working with other countries to prevent the enemy. Instead, cybercrime prevention requires a proactive approach, including awareness campaigns, law enforcement capabilities and leveraging emerging technologies such as AI and machine learning to detect and prevent fraudulent activities,” he added.
Touching on a secure digital economy, Yang Berhormat Dato said the security of Brunei’s digital infrastructure is very important for the country’s economic progress and well-being. In response to this urgent need, the government of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam has taken decisive action by enacting the Cyber Security Act 2023, to protect Critical Information Infrastructure (CII).
According to Yang Berhormat Dato, proactive measures have been taken to protect CII, build resilient infrastructure and increase real-time monitoring to detect and neutralize cyber threats before they cause harm.
“In addition, CSB also plays an important role in uniting government, industry and community towards a secure digital future. The newly established CII office is the center for the implementation of the protection strategy,” he said.
At the event, a comprehensive agenda focusing on cyber vigilance and data sovereignty was emphasized through keynote speeches, workshops and exhibitions featuring the latest technologies in the field of cyber security.
Key participants taking part in the exhibition include leading cyber security providers Recorded Future, Tenable, Keysight, Nexagate, Swarmnetics, KnowBe4, Fortinet and Deloitte.
Meanwhile, Cyber Battle: Capture the Flag, a cyber security competition by IT Protective Security Services Sdn Bhd (ITPSS) was also held in conjunction with the conference, where 10 teams of hackers tested their skills in an intense eight-hour match to solve cyber security challenges that simulated real-world IT scenarios.
The ceremony was also filled with the Exchange of Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) which saw several MoUs signed between ITPSS and Group-IB Global Pte Ltd regarding cyber security cooperation; MoU between ITPSS and Nexagate Sdn Bhd on cyber security governance, risk management and compliance services, MoU between ITPSS and CyberSecurity Malaysia (CSM) on cyber security cooperation; MoU between BCSA and CyberSecurity Malaysia (CSM) on Global ACE Certification Brunei Chapter; MoU between BCSA and Synergy Skills Sdn Bhd on professional development and certification for cyber security practitioners; and the Cooperation Agreement between Progresif Sdn Bhd and ST Engineering Info-Security Pte Ltd regarding the establishment and operation of cyber security solutions, particularly through the provision of a Security Operations Center.
Regarding the collaboration between CSB and Trend Micro, Trend Micro has delivered 10,000 antivirus license keys to be distributed to students and 5,000 license keys to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with a total value of US$300,000.
The antivirus license key was received by the Permanent Secretary (Higher Education) at the Ministry of Education, Dr Haji Azman bin Ahmad on behalf of the students while BCSA President, Awang Mohamad Azad Zaki bin Haji Mohd Tahir, received it on behalf of SMEs.
At the ceremony, BCSA also recognized the winners of the Top ASEAN Women in Security Award where Universiti Brunei Darussalam lecturer Dr Rosyzie Anna binti Haji Mohd Apong was selected as the winner of the 2024 Security Trainer and Educator Award, in addition to the 2024 National Award for Brunei. While Jasmine Wong was recognized as the winner of the 2023 National Award for Brunei.
The event ended with the presentation of prizes Cyber Battle: Capture the Flag 2024 by the Deputy Minister (Securities and Law) in the Prime Minister’s Department, Dato Seri Paduka Haji Sufian bin Haji Sabtu, to the winners.
