Online defences to get more bite with new Cybersecurity Act

SINGAPORE — As cyber attacks become more sophisticated, with attackers becoming faster and bolder, a new Cybersecurity Act that will give the authorities more powers to tackle threats will be tabled next year, said Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim yesterday.

The new statute will ensure operators take steps to secure Singapore’s critical information infrastructure and report incidents.

It will also empower the Cybersecurity Agency (CSA) — established last year to oversee cyber security strategy, education and outreach — to manage cyber incidents and raise the standards of cyber security providers.

The existing Computer Misuse and Cybersecurity Act (CMCA) is targeted at helping law enforcement agencies investigate and apprehend the individuals or entities behind cyber crime, he said. “It is inevitable that Singapore’s critical information infrastructure will, at some point, be targets. The interconnectivity in our networks also means that the effects of cyber attacks can be contagious,” said Dr Yaacob, who is also Minister-in-Charge of Cyber Security.

Noting that it is important to review the legislative framework as Singapore moves towards becoming a Smart Nation, he also cited global trends of governments strengthening their cyber security legislation.

Germany, for instance, passed a law last year to enforce minimum cyber security standards and mandated the reporting of significant cyber security incidents. The United States also passed laws in December to facilitate the sharing of cyber-threat information and to protect information sources from being sued. Dr Yaacob said the CSA will consult stakeholders on the scope of the new Bill.

In his speech during the ministry’s Committee of Supply debate yesterday, Dr Yaacob noted that the CSA has made good progress since it was set up. For instance, it has helped small and medium enterprises assess and improve their cyber security readiness.

He also cited a 2014 survey by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore which found that 94 per cent of companies used virus-checking or protection software while 81 per cent of home Internet users had anti-virus software installed on their computers. “These figures are encouraging, but there is always room for improvement, especially as threats grow more complex,” said Dr Yaacob.

Last week, Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Desmond Lee had said the CMCA would be amended to address the transnational nature of online crime. He also spoke about efforts to partner the community, in order to tackle the rising trend of cyber crime.

Speaking in Parliament during the debate, Mr Lee acknowledged that there is a “clear uptrend” in cyber crime, while traditional crime is on the decline.

He pointed out that the total number of online cheating cases involving e-commerce, credit-for-sex, and Internet love scams almost doubled in 2015, compared to the previous year.