The three organizations will collaborate on activities that enhance cybersecurity awareness and expand local knowledge, skills, and technological expertise
CyberSecurity Malaysia (CSM), the government agency providing specialized cybersecurity services; EclecticIQ, a leading global threat intelligence, hunting, and response technology provider; and Syntx, a Malaysian cybersecurity company, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Jan 25 at a virtual ceremony. The three organizations have agreed to collaborate on a range of activities aimed at strengthening the cybersecurity posture of Malaysia and the greater Southeast Asia region to combat growing threats. A key goal is to expand the use of cyber threat intelligence (CTI), an aspect of cybersecurity that focuses on collecting and analyzing information about current and potential attacks.
Dato’ Ts. Dr. Haji Amirudin Bin Abdul Wahab FASc, chief executive officer for CyberSecurity Malaysia, said, “CSM is really pleased to work with an international industry player and partner with a local SME that have the same shared core beliefs to empower prudent cybersecurity practices. It is timely to forge this strategic collaboration that will drive higher awareness and adoption of cyber threat intelligence in Malaysia.”
Malaysia has been termed a “quiet leader in cybersecurity,” and came in eighth out of 194 states in this year’s Global Cybersecurity Index from the International Telecommunication Union.1 However, Malaysia has been subject to cyberattacks on businesses and government organizations, many related to COVID-19 issues and involving ransomware and state-sponsored espionage and hacking. For instance, between January and May 2021, 4,615 cybersecurity incidents were reported to CSM’s Cyber999 Help Centre.2
To further improve Malaysia’s cybersecurity posture, the three organizations plan to develop a joint research publication on a CTI topic relevant to the region, support establishment of a centralized CTI knowledge base, and provide practical guidance on the use of CTI methods through case studies, including lessons learned from CSM’s deployment of the EclecticIQ Threat Intelligence Platform. All activities will be aligned with and support the Malaysia Cyber Security Strategy 2020-2024.
Joep Gommers, CEO and founder of EclecticIQ, noted, “As a global leader in threat intelligence technology, we advocate for a safer world through collaboration. Building strong partnerships in the fight against cyber threats is an important part of that advocacy. This memorandum will further strengthen collaboration and represents an important milestone in our efforts to empower Malaysia and the entire Southeast Asia region with tools and technologies that can enhance cyber situational awareness. We are honored by the confidence placed in EclecticIQ by the Malaysian government and our partner Syntx.”
Fadzril Azhar, chief executive officer for Syntx Sdn Bhd., stated, “Syntx is honored to be a part of this collaboration, which manifests the trust placed in us by both parties and provides significant encouragement for us to work harder. We are committed to grow more local capabilities and capacities in cybersecurity, especially around cyber threat intelligence.”
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