The
Straits Times
Singapore
upgrades cyber security operations, includes wider detection capabilities
PUBLISHED ON
AUG 26, 2014 9:38 AM
Communications and
Information Minister Yaacob Ibrahim at a media interview, addressing
recent infocomms-related incidents. Singapore's Cyber-Watch Centre is
being upgraded to include more detection capabilities to counter increasing
threats against government systems. -- PHOTO: ST FILE
BY
IRENE THAM
SINGAPORE - Singapore's Cyber-Watch Centre is being upgraded to include
more detection capabilities to counter increasing threats against government
systems.
By January next year, the centre will be able to track
unauthorised changes to websites and network traffic to detect malicious files
and potential data leakages. The enhancement follows a wave of cyber attacks
against government websites last year.
"This upgrade will allow us to better monitor government
websites and inspect if there are malicious activities, which could affect
access to online public services," said Communications and Information
Minister Yaacob Ibrahim.
He was speaking this morning at the Infocomm Security Seminar
organised by the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) at Marina Bay Sands
Convention Centre.
At the same time, work is underway to raise the level of
cybersecurity expertise here to boost the local workforce. IDA is getting
tertiary institutions to include cybersecurity in the curriculum and have it as
a specialist track in degree programmes.
For starters, the Singapore Institute of Technology will be
launching Singapore'a first undergraduate Information Security degree programme
in September next year.
The Nanyang Technological University has also included an
information security specialisation programme as part of its undergraduate curriculum
since the beginning of this month. More than 30 per cent of the final year
cohort has opted for the programme.
"We need to grow
Singapore's pool of Infocomm security experts and build their
capabilities," said Dr Yaacob.
"The
biggest growth in manpower requirements will be in the areas of security
operations, security engineering and technology. Apart from dedicated
cybersecurity experts, other professionals in areas like network engineering
and application development are also needed in defending network infrastructure
or applications from ever-increasing cyber threats."
The Cyber-Watch Centre was set up in 2007 to monitor critical
public-sector IT installations round the clock. The centre is managed by
Singapore-based security services provider e-Cop
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