Cyber bill won’t hurt privacy, says govt

The government-sponsored cybersecurity bill will not become a tool used by state authorities to gain access to individuals’ private data, Digital Economy and Society Minister Pichet Durongkaveroj said.

The bill is intended to protect information of the state and private sectors, as well as that of individuals, Mr Pichet said.

He insisted that the bill, which was approved by the cabinet, is not designed to allow authorities to intrude on people’s private lives and gain access to their information.

‘’I insist the government is acting in the best interests of the public,’’ the minister said.

Under the bill, a national cybersecurity committee, chaired by the prime minister, will be set up to handle cybersecurity with powers to access computer networks of both public and private agencies vulnerable to cyber threats.

The cybersecurity committee must seek a court order before doing so but it may act first if cases are urgent, and then report to the court as soon as possible.

The National Reform Steering Assembly has called on Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to use his special powers carried over from the interim charter to set up the committee without waiting for the promulgation of the new law.

The assembly’s move was apparently prompted by a malicious programme that has disrupted public services and businesses over the weekend in dozens of countries.

Mr Pichet said that even though the overall global cyber attack situation has now eased, the ministry will continue to monitor the situation closely.

Agencies responsible for operating the country’s public utilities such as water and electricity, as well as financial matters, have been urged to remain on high alert to the cyberattacks, he said.

The minister added no reports had emerged of government agencies’ databases being attacked by the WannaCry ransomware.

In Thailand, about 200 computers of state enterprises and businesses were hit in the WannaCry ransomware attack, according to the Thailand Computer Emergency Response Team under the Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA).

The attack appeared to target computers running Microsoft Windows and exploited a vulnerability in the operating system. The attackers locked the user’s files until a ransom payment was made.