Najib: Be proactive in combating threats from hackers
11th May 2004 (The Star)

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak urged government agencies and the private sector to be proactive in combating potential threats from hackers.

The Deputy Prime Minister said that being defensive and reactive was no longer adequate.

"We have to take steps to secure our networks against such threats before they are attacked by cyber terrorists," he said after opening the Hacker Halted 2004 seminar on computer security here yesterday. The seminar was the first in the world to be organised by the International Council of e-Commerce Consultants.

Najib said that there should be a shift in the culture of information and communications technology users towards greater awareness and emphasis on security.

Earlier in his speech, he said this shift would result in changing the concept of security within organisations.

"Organisations need to redefine the concept of security from just guardianship of physical assets and movement of employees and visitors.

"The role of a Chief Security Officer should be to fully integrate the control of access by any individual to an organisation's premises, assets as well as its networks," he said.

Najib said a forum or platform which enabled members of the IT security fraternity to share information, skills and technologies should be formed.

The Government, he said, would continue ensuring greater security for all electronic-based activities and transactions.