Cybersecurity remains one of Malaysia’s top concerns, says Hamzah

 

Home minister Hamzah Zainudin said the number of cases had almost doubled.

KUALA LUMPUR: Cybersecurity remains one of Malaysia’s top concerns following a drastic rise in reports of online crimes, home minister Hamzah Zainudin said today.

He said the number of cases associated with cyberbullying, fraud, intrusion, phishing and email scams had almost doubled.

In 2019, around 13,000 cybercrime cases were reported, involving total losses of RM539 million. The number rose to 17,000 cases in 2020. Last year, the number of cases increased to more than 20,000, with total losses of RM560 million.

Up to February this year, there were 3,273 cases reported involving losses of RM114 million.

“Many of our current and emerging threats involve new technologies that were unheard of even a decade ago. At the same time, today’s national security landscape is changing at a faster pace than ever before.

“Keeping up with these changes is one of our region’s biggest security challenges,” he said at the launch of the Defence Services Asia and National Security Asia exhibitions at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre tonight.

Defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein said Asean was currently facing the most diverse range of serious threats than at any point in history.

“Traditional and non-traditional threats, in various shapes and forms must be effectively addressed before they escalate into clear, present and catastrophic danger,” he said. - FMT