As Malaysia seeks to grow and seize opportunities in the digital economy, it is vital for the country to boost its cybersecurity resilience. This comes as the nature of attacks and threats are becoming more sophisticated and complex.
In fact, in February 2023, Malaysia's Communications and Digital Deputy Minister, Teo Nie Ching, said that cybersecurity threats in Malaysia have been increasing in frequency and severity.
Whether it is ransomware, data breaches or cyberscams, there is urgency for the country to strengthen its defences against cyberattacks.
What has been encouraging to see are the investments progressively being made to tackle cybercrimes, with the most recent being in Budget 2023 where it was announced that RM10 million will be injected into the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) to combat online scams and fraud.
Budget 2023 also called for businesses to better embrace digital technology to expand the market for their products and services.
However, for businesses to successfully do so, they must take the necessary steps and put in place good cyber hygiene practices to address any vulnerabilities and protect themselves from cyberthreats.
Organisations seeking to strengthen their cybersecurity posture can adopt Zero Trust, which operates on the principle of trusting nothing and verifying everything.
By considering all users and devices as potential threats, organisations can enhance their network protection and safeguard their sensitive data.
Furthermore, by continuously monitoring and verifying users and devices, they can identify and prevent security incidents before they cause significant harm.
Incorporating Zero Trust in an organsation's security strategy also aids in facilitating compliance with regulatory requirements. Industries such as finance and healthcare are subject to rigorous data protection regulations.
Implementing a Zero Trust security model can assist organisations in complying with these requirements by ensuring that only authorised users can access sensitive data.
Implementing Zero Trust can be challenging for businesses. These challenges, as identified in Cloudflare's The Journey to Zero Trust in Asia Pacific report, included a lack of understanding, trusting existing cybersecurity strategies, inability to secure buy-in at a board level, and a lack of talent to execute a Zero Trust strategy.
To address these challenges, organisations can consider partnering with cybersecurity experts or managed service providers.
These providers can help organisations implement a Zero Trust security strategy and provide ongoing monitoring and support, which would allow IT teams to focus on driving business growth, operations, and product development.
In addition, many providers offer scalable solutions, which can be particularly beneficial for organisations that may not have the resources to invest in a full-scale Zero Trust security model.
Organisations could also consider appointing a leader, known as a "Chief Zero Trust Officer" who can drive the adoption and execution of Zero Trust within an organisation. With clear leadership and accountability, Zero Trust initiatives are less likely to be stuck in the implementation phase.
In leading the initiatives, the CZTO will be able to align teams and break down barriers to achieve a smooth rollout.
The role of CZTO in the C-suite also emphasises the importance of Zero Trust in the company, while ensuring the initiatives are given the necessary attention and resources to succeed.
Another significant challenge that organisations, no matter the size, may face during implementation is the resistance to change.
Leaders can mitigate this by leading by example, engaging employees in the change process, proactively addressing concerns, providing support, and upskilling employees.
Zero Trust aligns with Malaysia's vision of creating a secure and trustworthy digital ecosystem for businesses and individuals.
With its focus on continuous monitoring and verification, Zero Trust can provide organisations with robust cybersecurity measures to safeguard their sensitive data against potential threats.
As Malaysia continues to transform its economy and position itself as a hub of technology and innovation, it is crucial for businesses to embrace new and effective security models such as Zero Trust.
By doing so, they can better protect themselves and their customers, comply with regulatory requirements, and build a strong foundation for growth and success in the digital age, enabling Malaysia's economy to thrive.
* The writer is Vice-President, Southeast Asia and India, Cloudflare