Indonesia’s Questionable Cybersecurity Levels

https://theconversation.com/cybersecurity-for-indonesia-what-needs-to-be-done-114009

Introduction:

As Asia’s and the world’s least secure country in terms of cybersecurity, Indonesia’s situation has become growingly concerning. The protection of personal data in online transactions is just one of many issues the nation is dealing with. Furthermore, there is a lack of cybersecurity professionals, which makes Indonesia a desirable target for malicious hackers. Companies like BDO Indonesia’s SecLab division offer training and assistance for security testing, simulations, and prevention measures to address these issues. Additionally, programs like the U-Connect Cyber Security Hackathon are being used to close the talent gap in the cybersecurity field.

Indonesia’s levels:

According to a cybersecurity index, Indonesia is the poorest country in Asia and the world regarding cybersecurity safety. Reboot Digital PR Service, a British company, did research that served as the foundation for this evaluation. First place went to Indonesia, with an overall score of 82.8 and 643 compromised machines, 1,080 phishing sites, and 1,040 malware-containing websites. With a similarly low score, Cyprus came in second, while Malaysia, with 79.9 out of 100, came in third. Singapore surprisingly came in sixth position with a score of 75.9 out of 100.

With a cybersecurity risk score of 19.8 out of 100, South Korea is the most secure nation in Asia. Japan (21.8/100) and Lebanon (29.3/100) came after.

Data from the State Cyber and Code Agency (BSSN) shows that Indonesia had more than 700 million cyberattacks in 2022. SIM card registration data breaches and significant events involving e-HAC health data, ministry data, state-owned company data, and consumer data in well-known e-commerce platforms are among the recent occurrences.

Contributing aspects: 

1. Issues with their security: Indonesia’s cyber security is facing a questionable state due to several key factors. One of the fundamental issues is the security of information systems and the protection of personal data in Internet transactions and electronic transactions. Cybercriminals are a significant cause of the high level of distrust among internet users in e-commerce transactions.
2. Shortage and the lack of experts: Indonesia suffers from a shortage of cybersecurity experts. A survey conducted by SecLab BDO Indonesia revealed that 9 out of 10 technology graduates choose to become software developers, while only 1 out of 10 show interest in specializing in cybersecurity. This lack of expertise, combined with low public awareness of personal cyber security, makes Indonesia an easy target for malicious hackers.
3. Unpreparedness: Many companies lack preparation, so they would often only take action once a cyber attack occurs, instead of proactively preparing tactical steps beforehand. The establishment of a strategic IT division capable of swift action during cyber attacks is a wise decision. There would also be misconceptions about the billion-dollar potential of loss attacks as a basic IT problem.

Efforts made to battle the war:

To address the growing concern of Indonesia’s depressing cybersecurity levels, considerate companies established programs, education, and events that focus on battling these issues and growing from them as well. The first one would be from BDO Indonesia. BDO Indonesia, from its SecLab division, focuses on cybersecurity and digital forensics in Indonesia. They provide training, seminars, and collaborative programs. SecLab BDO Indonesia has already been assisting corporations and government institutions with periodic security testing, cyber-attack simulations, impact analysis, follow-up recommendations, and prevention measures. Indonesian companies must strengthen their cyber resilience and arm themselves with clear cybersecurity frameworks.

The InfraDigital Foundation makes another effort to improve Indonesia’s cybersecurity. The InfraDigital Foundation organized The U-Connect event, also known as the Cybersecurity Hackathon 2023, to meet the increasing demand for cybersecurity talent. The event, supported by Grab, Telkomsigma, Lintasarta, Isaca, and Ovo, served as a platform for channeling job activities, connecting alumni from the Cybersecurity Training program held by InfraDigital Foundation and the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth. The Director of Cyber Security at the National Cyber and Crypto Agency (BSSN) praised the program for enhancing the quality of Indonesia’s cybersecurity talents and channeling them into relevant industries. The foundation also held an Industry Talk Show titled “Connecting Cybersecurity Talents: Bridging the Gap between Industry Needs and Cybersecurity Workforce in Indonesia.” It was live-streamed on their YouTube channel and attracted >800 viewers. Participants of the Cybersecurity Hackathon had the opportunity to connect with relevant IT companies, including Telkom Indonesia, DTO Kemenkes, Horangi Cyber Security, Vantage Point Security, CTI Group, SGI Asia, Biofarma, and more..

References:

Rizal, A. ( 2019). 5 Penyebab Sistem Keamanan Perusahaan Indonesia Rentan Dibobol Hacker. InfoKomputer. https://infokomputer.grid.id/read/121623561/5-penyebab-sistem-keamanan-perusahaan-indonesia-rentan-dibobol-hacker?page=all 

Rahman, A. F. (2022). Indonesia Jadi Negara Terburuk di Dunia Soal Keamanan Cyber. DetikInet. https://inet.detik.com/cyberlife/d-6222006/indonesia-jadi-negara-terburuk-di-dunia-soal-keamanan-cyber 

Suryacahya, F. W. (2023). Serangan Siber di Indonesia Meningkat, Talenta Bidang Cybersecurity Banyak Dicari Industri. TribunJakarta. https://jakarta.tribunnews.com/2023/05/25/serangan-siber-di-indonesia-meningkat-talenta-bidang-cybersecurity-banyak-dicari-industri?page=2 

Suryo, A. (2022). Indonesia Kekurangan Tenaga Ahli Keamanan Siber. DetikInet. https://inet.detik.com/security/d-6323302/indonesia-kekurangan-tenaga-ahli-keamanan-siber