High speed, low drag: Models posing in combat gear at aIsse25 in Putrajaya.
PETALING JAYA: Asean countries must band together to create a secure and resilient digital ecosystem as cybercriminals are upping their game.
While lauding the setting up of an Asean cybercrime task force, experts said having uniform regional cybersecurity standards, joint capacity-building initiatives, a regional cybersecurity research and development hub, and private sector involvement, were equally critical.
Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Comm Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf said there is an urgent need for closer collaboration among Asean countries to fight against cybercrime.
“While we have the Asean Chiefs of National Police (Aseanapol), the setting up of an Interpol-style task force is crucial as cybercriminals are currently well ahead of the authorities.
“As cybersecurity development varies from country to country, a task force is pertinent in ensuring that everyone is operating at the same level,” he added.
The question, he said, is not whether it is feasible to have a task force – it must be made feasible if Asean countries are to combat cybercrime effectively.
The region, which is incurring billions in losses, must have strong collaboration, he said.
“Asean countries must find common denominators to come together and form the task force,” said Comm Ramli when contacted.
While an Interpol-style cybercrime task force would be effective, Universiti Sains Malaysia criminologist Datuk Dr P. Sundramoorthy said it must not result in the creation of a “surveillance state”.
“By using Interpol’s framework, which has proven effective in global policing, Asean could develop a specialised network to facilitate the real-time exchange of information among member states.
“This could enhance their collective ability to detect and respond to cybercrimes, potentially reducing the impact of such activities on businesses and individuals,” he said, while stressing the need to balance robust security measures with civil liberties.
“While cybercrime is a serious issue that demands effective countermeasures, any regional security initiative must ensure it does not undermine privacy rights or create a surveillance state.
“The task force must operate transparently, with safeguards in place to protect individuals’ freedoms and prevent the misuse of data.
“This balance will be essential in ensuring that the task force is both effective and just, maintaining public trust while addressing digital threats,” said Sundramoorthy.
As cybercrime is transnational, cybersecurity consultant Fong Choong Fook said a regional task force would enable quicker and effective sharing of information, expertise and resources.
“Some (countries) are more advanced in digital forensics, while others specialise in detecting online fraud. Through this collaboration, we can optimise the available resources.
“When one country detects a new threat, the information can be shared immediately with other countries, allowing preventive measures to be taken before the threat spreads,” said Fong.
He, however, cautioned that the formation of such a task force will prove challenging as Asean countries have different legal frameworks and operate at varying degrees of digital development.
“We need to find common ground to harmonise the different cyberlaws and enable effective cooperation, without violating the legal sovereignty of each country,” he said, adding that there is also a need to ensure that all member countries have the minimum technical capabilities to participate effectively in this cooperation network.
“There is also the issue of sharing sensitive information.
“Each country must be confident that the shared information will be properly protected and not misused,” said Fong.
He said Asean digital security should be further strengthened with the development of uniform regional cybersecurity standards to facilitate cooperation and ensure a consistent minimum level of security across the region.
He also suggested joint capacity-building initiatives, which include cybersecurity training, sharing best practices, and expert exchange programmes among member countries.
“A regional cybersecurity research and development hub for digital security innovation and the development of new solutions to address evolving threats should be set up,” he said, stressing the need for active private sector involvement to enhance collaboration between government and industry.
This, Fong added, is essential to building a secure and resilient digital ecosystem.
