The University of Melbourne and the Melbourne Business School delivered landmark cyber security training in Kuala Lumpur on October 7.
The audience was senior executives in government and business with responsibility for IT security and systems.
The event in Kuala Lumpur highlights growing collaboration in cyber security between Malaysia and Australia. It also shows increased opportunities for Australian cyber security expertise in Southeast Asia.
Growing demand for cyber security in Malaysia
Malaysia's digital economy has grown in response to COVID-19. Businesses and government are adopting more complex digital technologies, but this is increasing vulnerabilities.
Austrade is working with Malaysian agencies to help address cyber security issues.
Delegates at the 7 October training session identified key cyber concerns in the banking and telecommunications sectors, including:
- Cloud migration
- Ransomware
- Identity theft
Executives said they were open to buying cyber security solutions from overseas.
Increased cooperation with Australia
Australian cyber security expertise is helping to keep Malaysia's digital economy safe. The two countries announced the Australia-Malaysia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) in January 2021.
The 7 October seminars were delivered in partnership with Malaysia's National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA). The agency is part of Malaysia's National Security Council.
Malaysia's cyber security strategy
The Director General of National Security (Strategic Security) YBhg. Datuk Khairul Shahril bin Idrus supported the training event.
Datuk Khairul noted the newly released Malaysia Cyber Security Strategy 2020–2024 (PDF 1.37 MB). He also pointed to Australia's role in supporting Malaysia's cyber talent-development programs
'This training – a collaboration between NACSA and Austrade – is a fantastic opportunity for Malaysia to further enhance our cyber talent and at the same time increase preparedness in countering evolving cyber threats,' he said.
Key sectors in Malaysia cyber security
Interest in cyber security in Malaysia spans government and commercial sectors. These include national defence and security, banking and finance, health services, and critical infrastructure such as water and energy.
Demand for cyber security expertise exceeds supply, according to Paul Sanda, Austrade's Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner for Malaysia and Brunei. He says there is especially strong demand for talent development and upskilling.
'We will continue to work with our Malaysian counterparts to foster greater collaboration in cyber education and research,' says Sanda. 'It's vital for our businesses to understand evolving threats.'
'Malaysia and Australia have built strong partnerships across multiple cyber security issues,' he adds.
Opportunities for Australian cyber security
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