Digital experts push for cyber capacity building

BOTH the companies and governments in the Asia-pacific Region should invest in cyber capacity building amid the growing digital adoption, cyber security and anti-virus provider Kaspersky Lab said.

Chris Connell, managing director for Asia-pacific at Kaspersky, said in a recent forum that education and training of the work force is a must to keep an organization’s cyber security intact as online attacks continue to threaten the digital space.

“Cyber capacity building is key really to developing a competent cybersecurity work force,” he said. “Given its dependence on the online space, a collective security depends on each of us really and success, therefore, is the sum of our joint efforts working together.”

Connell added that “investing in cyber talent and promoting security awareness and digital education for users are the keys to success in building cyber-resilient digital societies and economies.”

Citing several studies, Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization) Cybercrime Director Craig Jones noted the cyber-security skills gap in the region due to rapid digitalization.

The International Information System Security Certification Consortium, for example, noted that Asia-pacific needs 2 million additional workers.

“With the continued rise in cyber threats and cybercriminal activities impacting communities, a new paradigm has emerged for global law enforcement. One of the key challenges that Interpol identified are the gaps in law enforcement cyber capabilities and capacity, nationally, regionally and globally,” Jones said.

Li Yuxiao, vice president of the Chinese Academy of Cyberspace Studies, stressed the need for longterm and joint building of a cyberspace community across Asia-pacific.

The cyber capacity building, Li said, should highlight network infrastructure and potential cyber-security concerns, in addition to developing the personnel training system.

Seungjoo Kim, a member of South Korea’s Presidential Committee on the 4th Industrial Revolution, noted that security experts are prompted to have further knowledge in their field amid the industry 4.0.

“Now, it’s time for us to think about a more effective work force development program to train security experts specialized in each industrial sector,” he added.

In addition, the South Korean expert urged the universities to educate “students who have solid basic skills, so that they can quickly acquire practical knowledge taught in the company.”

For the Philippines, the Department of Trade and Industry have been implementing the Inclusive Innovation Industrial Strategy (i3s), which is centered on innovation and science and technology, to ramp up industry 4.0 efforts.