The Indonesian government is intensifying its efforts to clamp down on online threats and cybercrimes in line with its initiatives to give the economy a boost through innovation.
In a statement, the Indonesian Consulate in Jeddah announced that it has teamed up with the country’s embassy in Riyadh and the Cyber Crime Directorate of the National Police Criminal Investigation Agency through a virtual session to discuss threats and challenges in preventing cross-border cybercrimes.
According to the Consul General, one of his agency’s goals is to collaborate with a group in Saudi Arabia regarding any potential cybercrime activity. In line with this, the consulate expressed enthusiasm that such a strategic partnership will open new channels for the exchange of data insights on cyber threats, as well as the collection of evidence for cyberattack cases.
Key officials of the agencies attended the discussion, including Eko Hartono, Indonesian Consul General in Jeddah, and the Police Attache of the country’s embassy in Riyadh. Some delegates from the National Police Headquarters including Kombes Pol Oki Waskito and employees of the Indonesian Consulate in Jeddah were likewise present during the event.
Proliferation of cybercrime incidents
The Consul General took the opportunity to put a face to cybercrime statistics in Indonesia and in Jeddah. Attempts to commit identity theft had been recorded earlier by the consulate. As a remedy, he added that the agency’s officials and staff are now banking on social media vigilance as a tool to both track suspected offenders and to prevent all forms of cyber threats.
A thorough discussion regarding the different forms of cybercrimes, platforms used by offenders and emerging schemes of cyber threats were made by some of the participants from the government. Cybercrimes include, among others, online extortion, fraud, online threats, illegal access and data theft. Prohibitions under the state’s electronic information and transaction or ITE law were also pointed out during the virtual engagement.
Amid the increasing number of cybercrime cases, one of the guest speakers shared some tips on how to protect oneself from cyber attack. One of the most overlooked tools available online which can help lower identity theft situations is the built-in security program in social media platforms. Her advice is to understand and manage this security system and do adjustments based on user preference and privacy options.
To solidify efforts in fighting cybercrime, the Indonesian government has earlier put up the National Cyber and Encryption Agency. One of the goals of the agency is to dispel online hoaxes and help prevent breaches of confidential data shared online.
A report from the agency released this year showed that more than 189 million cases of cyber attacks were recorded in Indonesia from January to August. This number is significantly higher than the 39 million cases recorded in the same period in 2019. The country was also found to have a high number of cybercrime-related concerns on phishing and data breach.
Indonesia is at the forefront of embracing a culture of innovation, particularly in its manufacturing and industrial sectors. The goal is to shore up the economy by making these industries more competitive in the global sphere. OpenGov Asia has earlier reported that Indonesia sees a bright future in future investments in manufacturing. This view stands parallel to innovative initiatives that the government has rolled out in the Making Indonesia 4.0 roadmap. Under this blueprint, the country plans to be more aggressive in adopting and employing technology to catapult key industries in the economy, including the food and beverage and automotive industries.
