Cybercrime is prevalent nowadays due to the increasing use of technology in our daily lives, creating more opportunities for cybercriminals to target individuals and organizations. The internet and digital technologies have made it easier for criminals to hide their identities and locations, making it difficult for law enforcement to track them down.
Additionally, cybercrime can be low risk and high reward for criminals, and the lack of cybersecurity awareness and education among individuals and organizations makes it easier for cybercriminals to exploit vulnerabilities. For example, AirAsia was hacked by a ransomware group, iPay88 data has been compromised, and there are also cases where scammers pretending to be someone or an organisation.
According to a report by The Star, Deputy Communications and Digital Minister Teo Nie Ching reported that Malaysia recorded almost RM600 million in losses from cybercrime in 2022.
She emphasized the seriousness of the issue and outlined the ministry’s plan to address it through educating the public on digital literacy and preventing them from becoming victims.
The implementation of this plan will include working with social media platforms such as TikTok to promote the “Stop For Three Seconds” program set to launch in February and March.
The program is aimed at encouraging the community to take a moment to consider the authenticity of any information they receive before acting on it.
Teo also stated that social media platforms will assist in promoting the National Scam Response Centre’s (NSRC) 997 hotline, which is still not widely known by the public. The hotline, which is a government initiative, is intended to assist and prevent losses for victims of cybercrime.
The hotline is a one-stop centre that operates 12 hours daily and comprises representatives from Bank Negara Malaysia, private banks, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), and the Royal Malaysia Police. They work together to quickly stop the flow of victims’ money and help them to get their money back.
The ministry wants to help the victims because we know if we don’t act quick enough, even though the person may eventually be caught, the victims won’t be able to get their money back.
Ministry of Communications and Digital, Deputy Minister, Teo Nie Ching.
To find out more about NSRC, you can read their FAQ HERE.
In a The Edge Markets article dated 1 August 2022, the CEO of CyberSecurity Malaysia, Datuk Dr Amirudin Abdul Wahab, which is a national cybersecurity technical agency under the purview of Communications and Digital Ministry, said that:
Malaysia does not have a big enough cybersecurity team to handle the current cyberthreats. Lack of expertise and professionals may be Malaysia’s downfall if no immediate action is taken.
Malaysia requires no less than 20,000 cybersecurity knowledge personnel by the end of 2025.
The article reported that as of 1 July 2022, there were 13,851 cybersecurity professionals in the country, but Malaysia does not yet have sufficient personnel with cybersecurity skills to effectively address cyberthreats.
