Microsoft launches cybersecurity council across APAC region

Microsoft has launched an Asia Pacific Public Sector Cyber Security Executive Council, bringing together a coalition of policymakers from government and state agencies, as well as technology and industry leaders, to build a strong communications channel for addressing cyber threats and share best practices across the participating countries. Joining the council are 15 policymakers from Brunei, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, supported by security professionals from Microsoft.

This collective marks a commitment towards accelerating public–private partnerships in cybersecurity, while promoting a broader sharing of threat intelligence to be better positioned to respond to cyber attacks. The council strives to build a community where threat intelligence, technology and resources can be shared in a timely and open manner. The council will meet virtually on a quarterly basis to maintain a continuous exchange of information on cyber threats and cybersecurity solutions.

As part of the Asia Pacific Public Sector Cyber Security Executive Council, government agencies and state leaders will join a forum that includes Microsoft and its ecosystem of cybersecurity industry advisors. The forum strives to share best practices, learning from Microsoft security certification training, dedicated workshops and hands-on lab sessions to drive improvements to the digital skills of the workforce, thereby reducing the cybersecurity talent gap across the participating nations.

Members of the council will share experiences and knowledge relating to cyber threats and will collaborate to drive cooperation between countries. This effort will build on existing efforts to strengthen cybersecurity partnerships in Asia–Pacific, including through the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Global Forum on Cyber Expertise.

During the Microsoft APAC Public Sector Summit in May 2021, Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, reinforced Microsoft’s commitments to national empowerment plans in place in the form of the new data centre regions in New Zealand, Indonesia and Malaysia. Nadella also emphasised the need for a strong digital foundation for the public sector to succeed, by adopting a data-driven strategy. The session was attended by three of the founding members of the first Asia Pacific Public Sector Cyber Security Executive Council: CyberSecurity Malaysia, National Information Society Agency Korea and National Cybersecurity Agency Thailand.

With most technology infrastructure owned and operated by private companies, it is critical for governments to form coalitions with leading tech companies to lead effective cyber defence strategies and safeguard their regions against attackers. On the future of the cybersecurity ecosystem and the role the coalition will play, ChangHee Yun, Principal Researcher of the AI/Future Strategy Centre, National Information Society Agency Korea, noted that the collective intelligence amongst the Asia–Pacific nations is paramount to share best practices and strategies that will enable members to resolve cybersecurity challenges at a faster pace.

“With similar threat landscapes, this partnership will ensure that we are steps ahead of the perpetrators, establishing higher standards for the cybersecurity ecosystem as well,” said Yun.

Group Captain Amorn Chomchoey from the National Cybersecurity Agency in Thailand added that the cybersecurity executive council is an instrumental platform for collaboration between APAC nations. “I believe with the stronger relationships we will forge via this council will enable us to anticipate threats as early as possible, prevent them before the effects of cybercrime evolves into another ‘pandemic’ for the cyber world,” said Chomchoey.

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