Cyber Attacks Impact Social Well-being, Economic Development - Ongkili
Bernama (10 Jan 2012)

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 10 (Bernama)-The threat of cyber attacks and the increasing number of cyber crime incidents can potentially cripple the key components of the National Critical Information Infrastructure, thus impacting the social well-being and economic development of the country, Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili said.

The Science, Technology and Innovation Minister said this global phenomenon will also affect all net citizens (or netizens), corporations and government.

"In this increasingly borderless and technologically-empowered world, national security can no longer be viewed as an isolated issue," he said in his speech, read by CyberSecurity Malaysia chairman General Tan Sri Mohd Azumi Mohammed during the launch of Perisai Premier Edition internet security solution here Tuesday.

He said the recent incidents and various case studies have shown that the problem is not slowing down.

The government realises the threats posed in the cyber world and has already put in place the National Cyber Security Policy comprised of legislation and regulation, technology, public-private cooperation as well as institutional and international aspects, he added.

Ongkili said the policy seeks to address the risks to the Critical National Information Infrastructure of the networked information systems of 10 critical sectors, he added.

Meanwhile, he said CyberSecurity Malaysia's received a total of 15,218 cyber security incidents reported via its Cyber999 Help Centre from January to December last year.

He added that the incidents mark an increase of 88 per cent compared with 2010.

At a news conference later, CyberSecurity Malaysia chief executive officer Datuk Husin Jazri said the cyber threat in Malaysia is much lower than other countries.

"Nobody ever thought that Malaysia would be attacked by anonymous because Malaysia is such a peaceful country," he said, referring to the anarchic Internet society. "But we have had anonymous come and attack us."