Singapore has just added Digital Defence as the sixth pillar to its Total Defence framework, highlighting the threat that cyber attacks and disinformation pose, and the importance of cybersecurity for the nation.
In his Total Defence Day message in February, Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen emphasised the need to stay vigilant against threats from today’s digital domain. Given Singapore’s Smart Nation drive, and with digital technology now present in virtually all aspects of how citizens live, work, and play, the digital revolution presents both tremendous opportunities and huge risks for the country.
The country continues to see ransomware dominating headlines in Singapore and the wider Asia Pacific region, with attacks like the SingHealth breach, the largest cyber breach in Singapore’s history, plus global attacks like NotPetya and WannaCry signalling an epidemic and proving that any business, no matter how big or small, can be an attractive target for cyber criminals.