26 Aug 2022 | Asia Cyber Summary

In the Spotlight this Week:

• More than 100 Recipients Handed Tech Scholarships in Singapore, New Digital Leadership Programme Unveiled
• Malaysia Among Top Five Countries in Asia Pacific with Most Malicious Emails Detected in 2022
• Indonesia Investigating Alleged Data Breaches at State-owned Firms
• Cyber Security Experts Urge iPhone, Mac Users Update Devices to Patch Hacking Vulnerability
• NFTs worth USD 100 Million Stolen in Past Year
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‍More than 100 Recipients Handed Tech Scholarships in Singapore, New Digital Leadership Programme Unveiled

Under the new SG Digital Leadership Accelerator programme, a total of 107 recipients were selected to receive a range of technology and media related scholarships as part of a new digital leadership programme unveiled by the Singapore government.

The SG Digital Leadership Accelerator programme is part of an initiative to harness and nurture talent to drive Singapore’s digital future. These include plans to partner with the relevant industries and industries to lay the infrastructure in securing the digital space. 

Malaysia Among Top Five Countries in Asia Pacific with Most Malicious Emails Detected in 2022

According to cyber security researchers, more than half of all malicious emails circulated across the Asia Pacific (APAC) region were detected in countries including Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia, Taiwan, and Malaysia, accounting for 61.1% of all malicious emails detected by a particular antivirus software. 

The APAC region accounts for almost 60% of the world’s population, making it a highly susceptible and attractive target to threat actors, exacerbated by the high adoption rate of e-services and pandemic lockdowns.

Indonesia Investigating Alleged Data Breaches at State-owned Firms

Indonesia is in the midst of investigating alleged personal data breaches at state-owned telecommunications firm PT Telkom Indonesia’s internet service IndiHome and state utility PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN). This is in addition to a slew of alleged data breaches faced by the country in recent years, including their Covid-19 screening app, which saw President Joko Widodo’s vaccine records published on social media in September.

A data protection Bill that was submitted to Parliament in 2020, to bolster the country’s cyber security infrastructure, has yet to be passed. 

Cyber Security Experts Urge iPhone, Mac Users Update Devices to Patch Hacking Vulnerability

Apple has warned its users of a flaw that has been actively exploited by hackers to seize control of iPhones, iPads and Mac computers, and is urging users to install emergency software updates. These vulnerabilities enable hackers to deploy malware onto iPhones and Macs to take control of their operating systems and access data and functions. While such severe security vulnerabilities are rare, as the tech giant tends to put its software through rigorous testing, it is important that all users apply the necessary software updates regularly as soon as possible.

NFTs worth USD 100 Million Stolen in Past Year

Non-fungible Tokens (NFT) are the latest digital asset to fall victim to the latest front in crypto’s hacking problem. Hackers were able to steal over USD 100 Million worth of NFTs in the year to July, according to a blockchain research firm, with an average of USD 300, 000 stolen per scam on average. While blockchain researchers have valued the amount of money laundering in NFT-based platforms at just USD 8 Million, almost USD 329 Million worth of funds were discovered in cryptocurrency mixers, which are platforms designed to hide the origins of the funds.