Is Cybersecurity Exposure a Concern for Companies in Sarawak?
In the realm of cybersecurity, the tendency to underestimate a potential threat is widespread, often leading organisations to disregard it until they experience an actual breach. Unfortunately, this mindset is pervasive among organisations globally, but it shouldn’t be. Cybersecurity exposure is a universal issue, transcending geographical boundaries, and making everyone a potential target.
This stark reality highlights a crucial point: Companies operating in Sarawak must prioritise their concerns regarding cybersecurity exposure—this is not just a casual concern but a matter of utmost importance. The empirical evidence, unsurprisingly, reinforces the gravity of this situation.
Dr. Anderson Tiong Ing Heng, the General Manager of the Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA), revealed a concerning uptick in cybercrimes within the region. Between January and November 2023, the agency documented 1,901 cases, marking a significant increase of 300 cases compared to the 1,601 incidents reported during the same timeframe in 2022.
This alarming surge has prompted a rapid and proactive response from the Sarawak government, recognising the escalating nature of the issue. It is noteworthy that this local concern aligns with a larger challenge, as Malaysia ranks among the top 10 most breached countries globally.
In response, the SMA and the Sarawak government established in August of last year the region’s own Cyber Security Unit, whose objectives are to provide cybersecurity services and educate citizens and enterprises alike about the scourge that is cybercrime.
No less than Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has recognised the criticality of cybersecurity, and it is also a tacit admission that, yes, everyone in Sarawak, must be concerned about cybersecurity exposure.
“Not only do we have to protect our data, but our critical infrastructure, transport system, utilities, healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and finance. In fact, it permeates almost every societal aspect of our daily lives,” he said back in August. “Therefore, we will establish this unit (Cyber Security Unit), which includes addressing solutions for critical infrastructures such as power plants and hospitals, among others.”
These cybercrimes and the Sarawak government’s proactive approach to cybersecurity are undeniable proof that companies in Sarawak must pay closer attention to cybersecurity exposure and act accordingly. Otherwise, they will be at great risk of getting attacked by threat actors, who can be in Sarawak, within Malaysia’s wider borders, or anywhere else in the world.
That being said, do you know how at risk your company is?
To that point, do you know where you are most exposed? Do you know which aspects of cybersecurity you need to prioritise? Are you able to reduce exposure over time?
These are the critical questions you need to answer if you want to significantly reduce your cybersecurity exposure now and moving forward—especially in the context of Sarawak’s rising cybercrime occurrences as reported by the SMA.
Incidentally, these are the same questions Tenable aims to answer in its ultimate goal of helping companies understand their cybersecurity risk and reducing it accordingly across all attack surfaces. A leading exposure management company, Tenable provides a new approach to cybersecurity—one powered by context-driven analytics to enable cybersecurity teams to anticipate threats and block them before they can do any damage to your business.
While it may be tempting to believe your organisation is not under immediate threat or risk, the reality often becomes apparent only when an actual security incident occurs.
If you’d like to find out how an exposure management platform can help minimise the risk of cyber attacks in your organisation, click here.
