Cyberattack Threats Kept In Check Says Agency

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An activist group had recently threatened to hack government websites.KUALA LUMPUR: Cybersecurity threats are being monitored and kept in check, CyberSecurity Malaysia (CSM) said, so there is no need for the public to feel anxious.
However, CSM’s chief executive, Amirudin Abdul Wahab, said all internet users should take responsibility to protect themselves and increase their awareness about such threats.
“CSM offers various cybersecurity services in the ‘responsive’ and ‘preventive’ context to prevent data leakage and protect data security through the strengthening of ICT security systems. This is to help strengthen or protect data security,” he said.
Amirudin was taking part in a live programme on Facebook and TV with communications and multimedia minister Saifuddin Abdullah to discuss cyberthreats last night.
Hacker activist group Anonymous Malaysia recently threatened to hack government websites in a video clip that went viral on social media.
The group had claimed that the Malaysian security system was low, and this could allow hackers to gain access to users’ personal data and sell it online.
On Jan 29, it posted another video, claiming that scammers had been cheating the public through email, phone calls and social media since 2015 following a data breach.
Amirudin also said CSM has a Cyber999 help centre where users can report incidents by email at [email protected] or by calling 1-300-88-2999.
He added that CSM also works closely with the Department of Personal Data Protection.
Another panellist, Intellize Tech Services chief strategy officer Kavita Muthy, said cyberthreats could be as serious, or even more, than the Covid-19 pandemic, because it could also lead to people losing their lives and businesses, besides impacting the economy.
“This includes cyberbullying, which is unethical because, previously, bullying occurred on school grounds, but now, it happens in the cyberworld, and it revolves around emotions, with the intention to take revenge or hurt others, or give a negative impact on the individual involved,” she said.
The other participants were Digi Telecommunications head of sustainability Philip Ling, and Branden Carl Murray, the best presenter of the 2019 National ICT Security Discourse.
Earlier, Saifuddin said the theme for the Safer Internet Day celebration in Malaysia on Feb 9 is “Cyber Ethics”. The event is organised each year to promote safer and more responsible use of online technology and mobile phones by children and young people across the world.
He noted that people were now online for about five to 12 hours a day on average. - FMT

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