The ETDA joined hands with world-class organizations to bring in a new era in cybersecurity in Thailand via the Open Forum with cybersecurity. The focus was on multi-cloud technology and personal data protection laws.
The Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA), in collaboration with two leading cybersecurity organizations, organized the event, titled Open Forum: Information Security Knowledge Sharing Series III.
The aim of the event was to share knowledge and inform attendees of the updates and new technology trends related to cybersecurity. Experts delved into various threats types and ways to prevent them.
The event was attended by people from various backgrounds including interested citizens, technical personnel and members of various government agencies and the private sector.
The aim was to enable and equip the attendees with the knowledge and understanding of new trends so that they are now better able to deal with cybersecurity at various levels, including being aware of secure online transactions.
The current rise in cyber threats has brought to light how hackers are able to employ complicated evasive manoeuvres to avoid detection and to protect themselves from security systems installed in the organization. Therefore, the design and installation of the new systems must take into account these factors as well.
The topic presented at the beginning of the event discussed the guidelines for the design and implementation of security systems for IT infrastructure, which enable personnel to deal with threats efficiently and to boost security for multi-cloud applications.
IT infrastructure has moved away from systems within an organization (i.e., on-premise infrastructure) towards the cloud. Experts at the forum presented common problems in the use of the cloud and solutions that can help solve potential application issues.
During the afternoon session, issues of interest to various organizations were discussed, namely the Personal Information Protection Act which is expected to come into force on 27 May 2020.
Also discussed were the personnel preparation – preparing for consent and measures that must be taken to oversee and protect the personal information of the customers of the organization or business.
This is to be safe and secure as well as to be compliant with other laws, such as the GDPR, which is the European Union’s privacy protection law.
Thailand Must Boost Cybersecurity Infrastructure
In October 2019, OpenGov Asia reported cybersecurity technology is in high demand following the roll-out of the Cybersecurity Act and Personal Data Protection Act, as well as the national ID scheme and it’s necessary to boost Thailand cybersecurity infrastructure. Investment in cybersecurity technology in Thailand has reached THB1.91 billion.
The emergence of the Internet of Things, new WiFi 6 and 5G are expected to ramp up the possibility of cyber-attacks. Operational technology (OT) systems, connected medical equipment, airports and smart building systems are possible targets of attacks, said the study.
It was noted that the burgeoning online population and services such as mobile banking, e-commerce and digital government services have led to an increase in the number of cyber-attacks.
One study found 35 percent of companies in Thailand saw a financial impact of $1 million or more from their most significant breach, compared with 30 percent globally.
The top three barriers to the country’s adoption of advanced security technology are lack of knowledge of process and technology, a shortage of trained personnel and compatibility issues with legacy systems.
The complexity that comes as a result of the multi-vendor environment and the increased sophistication of businesses with OT networks and multi-cloud adoption continues to challenge security practitioners in Asia-Pacific.
Hence, businesses can simplify security in three key areas: workforce, workload and workplace. Doing so enables organisations to protect users and their devices against stolen credentials, phishing and other identity-based attacks, manage multi-cloud environments and contain lateral movement across the network.
In organising its Open Forum, the Thai government has made it clear that equipping its entrepreneurs with the skills and knowledge they need to protect their businesses from cyber threats is a top priority. The hope is that this support continues as the cyber landscape is only expected to encompass more and more of daily life.
