Singapore Offers Cybersecurity Training to Non-Professionals

Members of the Institution of Engineers Singapore (IES) now have the opportunity to attend a two-day Internet of Things (IoT) course in cybersecurity, learning how to protect devices that connect to the Internet at home, device authentication, vulnerability management, and protocols for encryption, improving the capabilities of a workforce currently short of the number required to safely secure Singapore's cyber infrastructure..The class is a joint effort by CyberSG's Talent, Innovation and Growth Centre (TIG), the IES, and Temasek Polytechnic, and launched on July 15th. The program was opened by the Cybersecurity Agency of Singapore (CSA) and the National University of Singapore (NUS). The center was revealed to the public on September 29th, 2023..Singapore's cyber workforce has grown since 2016, from approximately 4,000 to 12,000 in 2022. Singapore's universities offer around 20 cyber-related courses, the IoT strives to offer cybersecurity information to non-professionals in the industry. The two-day program is backed by $20 million sent from the government and the National University of Singapore, which will fund it for the next two years..However, data collected by the CSA's Information System Security Certification Consortium (ISC2) found that Singapore's cyber workforce is around 6,071 employees short of the number needed to manage attacks on systems and overall system maintenance. To counter this, courses such as the TIG were founded, and the CSA has made efforts in the past, such as offering 10,000 training spots to those who want to further a career in cybersecurity over three years..More data collected found that ransomware attacks—software designed to block access to a computer unless money is paid—went up by 13 percent in 2022. Phishing—the act of tricking users into obtaining information such as usernames or passwords—doubled in 2022 compared to 2021, among other forms of cyber attacks, such as using AI and mobile malware attacks..The Center is also launching the CyberBoost Catalyse Program, collaborating with Plexal, a British innovation company. Plexal is also going to connect cybersecurity innovators from the Indo-Pacific region to their counterparts in Europe, increasing cooperation..NUS also signed a memorandum of understanding with Plexal on July 15th, and another one with SGInnovate, a Singaporean investment company, to support beginning-stage startups with potential talent. CyberSG's TIG plan will also mean bi-annual gatherings to discuss innovative cybersecurity solutions and technology..Under the Cybersecurity Industry Call for Innovation, any solutions that are selected will receive $1 million in funding, by CSA and NUS, under the Cybersecurity Co-Innovation and Development Fund, which has been providing financing to solutions since 2021. This program has helped around 30 companies further develop 30 solutions in fields such as AI, cloud security, and more efficient privacy technology..CyberSG's R&D Programme Office (CRPO) was set up inside Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in September 2023 to promote research and development within the industry..The program is a way to continue Singapore's Cybersecurity Act, passed in February 2018. The act strives to strengthen the protection of critical infrastructure, permit the CSA to respond to cyber attacks more efficiently, establish the sharing or requesting of cybersecurity information, and further a light-touch licensing framework for other providers, which could increase collaboration. CSA and similar partners are trying to bolster Singapore's cybersecurity sector and protect it from hackers..Previous Attacks Against Singapore.In 2018, a hacker group highly suspected to be from China stole the medical data belonging to 1.5 million patients, including Singapore's Prime Minister (PM) Lee Hsien Loong..Another incident was the attack in November of 2013 by a hacker from the group Anonymous in protest over increased web censorship in Singapore, resulting in websites belonging to schools, entertainers, a journalist, and then-PM Lee Hsien Loong being defaced. The hacker was later arrested and charged in 2015..A Chinese national, Wang Yunhe, was arrested in May 2024 after he created malware that allowed other cybercriminals to steal billions of dollars. This was done by accessing thousands of residential computers and then selling access to the compromised computers to the buyer to steal information or finances from computers worldwide, including in Singapore. The Department of Justice (DOJ) claimed almost 19 million Internet Protocol (IP) addresses across 200 nations ended up in what was called the world's largest botnet, and is often referred to as the 911 S5 botnet. Wang then used the money to purchase properties in the United States, China, Thailand, Singapore, and the UAE..An Upgrade for Singapore's Cybersecurity.Through opportunities such as this, Singapore could grow its job market, improve classes at universities, give more citizens jobs, and better safeguard sensitive information against any hackers, domestic or foreign. Electronic infrastructure such as water, electricity, internet, telecommunications, emergency services, cloud computing, and other crucial databases could also be protected. Any data breaches could also be discovered sooner, and Singapore could also become a world innovator in cybersecurity, as they have strived for years to increase the use of the newest technology..Singapore's systems remain vulnerable to cyber attacks, which could cripple Singapore, especially its financial and transportation systems. Other information that could be better secured, such as health records, financial information, and insurance policies. Additionally, government data linked to the military or law enforcement could also be better safeguarded to prevent sensitive information from leaking..Singapore instructing more of their population on cybersecurity may inspire other nations to do so, especially ones impacted by Chinese hacker groups, such as the Philippines, which has had medical and government data stolen over the years in repeat attacks.