Singapore faces serious cyberattack on critical infrastructure
'Even as we speak, UNC3886 is attacking our critical infrastructure right now,' Shanmugam stated, emphasizing the severity of the advanced persistent threat (APT). The group's operations risk compromising national security by disrupting essential services, including power grids, healthcare networks, and transportation systems.
The minister highlighted the potential cascading effects of a successful breach, noting, 'Our banks, airports, and industries would not be able to operate. Our economy can be substantially affected.' Between 2021 and 2024, suspected APT incidents in Singapore surged over fourfold, underscoring escalating cyber warfare risks.
A 2018 cyber intrusion into a public healthcare cluster, which exposed medication records of 160,000 patients—including former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong—was cited as a precedent. Satnam Narang of Tenable warned that defending against such stealthy, well-resourced adversaries is 'increasingly demanding' as digital infrastructure expands.
The Cyber Security Agency (CSA) is actively countering the threat, though Shanmugam withheld details on mitigation strategies. Industry analysts stress that UNC3886's tactics align with long-term espionage campaigns, often targeting governmental and industrial data. - AFP
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
13 hours ago
- The Sun
Plan to transform Kuala Lumpur into Malaysia's flagship AI-driven smart city
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is setting the stage for an artificial intelligence-driven future, beginning with Kuala Lumpur as the flagship city for smart urban governance and seamlessly integrated digital infrastructure. As the nation's capital transforms into a model of intelligent city planning, it signals the country's broader commitment to harnessing AI for sustainable, efficient, and citizen-centric development. Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo unveiled ambitious plans to transform the capital into a model AI city during a visit to the Kuala Lumpur Command and Control Centre (KLCCC) today, laying the groundwork for a broader 'Smart Nation' strategy under Malaysia Digital 2030. 'It is clear that the focus is on how we can build a command centre that enables us to deploy smart solutions,' Gobind said during a press conference at the KLCCC. 'What is important now is to bring together the existing strengths of each agency and look toward building a National Smart Nation Centre.' The KLCCC, operated by Kuala Lumpur City Hall, serves as the city's nerve centre for smart traffic management, emergency response and urban planning. With AI-driven systems already in place, including real-time traffic signal adjustments, citywide surveillance analytics, and a developing 'digital twin' of Kuala Lumpur, the centre marks a pivotal milestone in Malaysia's digital transformation. The digital twin, a virtual replica of the city, allows for real-time simulation and analysis of urban dynamics. This supports more effective planning, emergency response and resource optimisation. It is one of several AI-enabled features integrated into Kuala Lumpur's urban management framework. A key enabler of the AI-driven city model is the country's data infrastructure. Gobind said the ministry is moving forward with a 'cloud-first' policy and is working to ensure that data across ministries is digitised, centralised and AI-ready. 'We need to ensure that the data we have is in a usable form for AI,' he said. 'That means digitising not just digital data, but also analogue, visual and audio inputs. Once digitised, we need compute power and secure cloud storage to turn data into meaningful solutions.' He pointed to Malaysia's expanding data centre landscape, including hyperscale investments by Microsoft, Google and Alibaba, as crucial infrastructure to support this transition. 'We have a cloud-first policy because that is how we will see new technologies work in AI,' he added. 'When we talk about data, we also talk about storage, security and privacy.' The minister also highlighted the role of the Data Centre Task Force, which aims to streamline infrastructure planning and resource allocation in line with AI and cloud computing needs. During his walkthrough of KLCCC, Gobind stressed the importance of breaking down data silos across ministries to deliver seamless services. 'Each ministry holds data that is useful. The Health Ministry has new systems to reduce waiting times by letting patients pre-book appointments, while the Transport Ministry has real-time data on buses and trains,' he said. 'Imagine combining that data to help someone get to their doctor on time, using the best available route. That's how AI adds value.' Gobind said integration is key to reducing inefficiencies, cutting costs and improving public service delivery. 'We must make sure that the data we have is integrated. There is no need to recreate the wheel. This allows us to move faster and optimise what we already have.' Kuala Lumpur will host the Smart City Expo Kuala Lumpur 2025 from Sept 17 to 19, with co-hosts Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation and Digital Nasional Bhd. The event, a satellite of the global Smart City Expo World Congress held annually in Barcelona, will position KL as a regional hub for smart city innovation. 'We are preparing now. I've been visiting other countries to understand their strengths and to invite them to Kuala Lumpur,' Gobind said. 'We want KL to be the showcase for this region.' The event is expected to attract AI solution providers, tech investors, and city planners, making KL a bridge for Asean digital collaboration. Gobind concluded by reinforcing the government's long-term vision under Malaysia Digital 2030, which aims to evolve from isolated smart city projects into an integrated smart nation ecosystem. 'We must always be ready for the technology of the next five years,' he said. 'If we move ahead without preparation, we risk falling behind. That's why the Prime Minister's digital transformation vision is focused on readiness, trust and secure systems.'
Malaysia Sun
13 hours ago
- Malaysia Sun
U.S. reviews military cloud deals after China-linked tech report
SAN FRANCISCO, California: Microsoft announced July 18 it will no longer allow engineers based in China to provide technical assistance for U.S. military systems, following scrutiny from a U.S. senator and a newly ordered review by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth into Pentagon cloud contracts. The move comes after investigative outlet ProPublica reported that Chinese engineers were supporting U.S. military cloud computing systems under the supervision of U.S. "digital escorts"—subcontractors with security clearances but often lacking the expertise to evaluate cybersecurity risks. The report raised concerns about potential vulnerabilities and prompted swift action from lawmakers and the Pentagon. Microsoft, one of the largest technology contractors to the U.S. government, confirmed that the arrangement had been disclosed to federal authorities during its contract authorization process. Still, in response to the backlash, the company has now pledged to overhaul its procedures. "In response to concerns raised earlier this week, we've changed how we support U.S. government customers to ensure that no China-based engineering teams are providing technical assistance," Microsoft spokesperson Frank Shaw said on X (formerly Twitter). Earlier in the day, Senator Tom Cotton, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee and serves on the Armed Services Committee, sent a letter to Defense Secretary Hegseth demanding clarity about contractors using personnel from China. He also requested details about how digital escorts are trained to detect security breaches. "The U.S. government recognizes that China's cyber capabilities pose one of the most aggressive and dangerous threats to the United States," Cotton wrote. He cited prior intrusions into critical infrastructure and telecom networks as justification for increased vigilance. "The U.S. military must guard against all potential threats within its supply chain, including those from subcontractors." Defense Secretary Hegseth responded swiftly, ordering a full two-week review of all Defense Department cloud service contracts to determine if any others involve China-based personnel. "I'm announcing that China will no longer have any involvement whatsoever in our cloud services, effective immediately," Hegseth said in a video posted online. "We will continue to monitor and counter all threats to our military infrastructure and online networks." The Pentagon has awarded billions in cloud computing contracts to major tech companies as part of its modernization strategy. Cybersecurity has been a growing concern after a series of high-profile hacks—some traced back to state-sponsored actors in China and Russia—targeted U.S. government and corporate systems, including Microsoft's own networks. While Microsoft maintains that proper disclosure protocols were followed, the company's use of Chinese engineers—even under supervision—has reignited debate over foreign access to sensitive military systems. The review launched by Hegseth will assess whether additional safeguards are necessary and whether similar practices have occurred with other vendors.
The Star
14 hours ago
- The Star
Alphabet will seek to reassure investors as AI rivals step up competition
FILE PHOTO: Alphabet logo is seen near computer motherboard in this illustration taken January 8, 2024. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File photo (Reuters) -Alphabet, faced with unprecedented threats from AI rivals, will be keen to assure investors this week that the company's own spending on the technology is helping it dig a deeper moat around its search and advertising businesses. Rivals of the Google parent, including AI startups such as OpenAI and Perplexity, have attracted tens of millions of users to their platforms. They are looking to break Google Chrome's dominance with their own browsers, even as a U.S. court weighs breaking up the tech company with remedies that may include a forced Chrome sale. To maintain its grip, Alphabet has rolled out tools such as AI Overviews, which show AI-generated summaries on top of traditional links that have drawn 1.5 billion users per month, and made more Gemini models available to enterprise users. The integration of AI into Google search is key to its advertising appeal, as it offers advertisers the ability to run more effective campaigns and get bigger returns on their dollars. In March, Google added a new AI-only mode to its search. Alphabet, scheduled to report second-quarter results on Wednesday, has also staged a coup, securing rival OpenAI as a customer for its cloud business. "AI targeting advantages and increasing ad loads in AI Overviews could drive ad performance above traditional search," BofA Global Research analysts said. THE CONTEXT Wall Street has been looking for returns from Big Tech's AI spending spree that is expected to total $320 billion this year. Google reassured investors in late April with better-than-expected first-quarter earnings that were powered by AI demand. But OpenAI and Perplexity's launch of their own browsers has intensified pressure on Google's search business, which was already under strain from AI chatbots pulling away queries. "As those (AI) companies deploy their browsers, that'll take more searches away from Google. But the bigger threat will be when those companies have enough of a user base that they start selling advertising," said D.A. Davidson analyst Gil Luria. "It's only when Google loses advertisers that the revenue is going to be impacted." Also, Alphabet's Waymo, the early U.S. leader in autonomous cabs and often overlooked during earnings, is likely to draw more attention as Elon Musk's Tesla rolls out a test fleet in Austin, Texas. THE FUNDAMENTALS ** Alphabet is expected to report a near 11% jump in total revenue for the second quarter, per LSEG data. ** Analysts expect a 7.5% rise in advertising revenue and a 26.2% jump in its cloud computing segment. ** Per-share earnings are expected to be around $2.18, excluding one-off items. WALL STREET SENTIMENT ** Alphabet shares are largely flat so far this year. ** Stock is among the laggards in the "Magnificent Seven" group of megacap stocks, with Nvidia leading the range with a 28% jump and Tesla at the bottom with a 19% decline. ** Alphabet is rated "buy" on average among 55 brokerages, with a median price target of $203.84. (Reporting by Deborah Sophia and Zaheer Kachwala in BengaluruEditing by Rod Nickel)
