Brunei needs to fill gaps in cybersecurity defences

Azlan Othman

BRUNEI has gaps in its cybersecurity defences and much work is needed to boost its capacity to deploy proper strategies, capabilities and programmes, according to a report by UN telecommunications agency International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

Though the country is making some progress, a lot remains to be accomplished with regard to legal, technical and organisational institutions, educational and research capabilities, and cooperation in information-sharing networks to develop a near-perfect approach to cybersecurity, the report hinted.

“Wealth breeds cybercrime, but it does not automatically generate cybersecurity, so governments need to make sure they are prepared,” it added.

Brunei Darussalam is ranked 53rd globally out of 193 nations in ITU’s latest Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) that measures the commitment of nations to cybersecurity.

The Sultanate is in fifth place in Asean after Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines, and 12th in the Asia Pacific in the GCI 2017 released this week.

Brunei is ranked 53rd on the index with a score of 0.524, levelling with Bangladesh, and has been listed in the ‘maturing stage’ category (GCI score between the 50th and 89th percentile), which refers to 77 countries that have developed complex commitments to cybersecurity and engage in cybersecurity programmes and initiatives.

Singapore has topped the GCI 2017, followed by United States and Malaysia. Other countries in the Top 10 include Oman, Estonia, Mauritius, Australia, Georgia, France, and Canada.

The Sultanate scored high in cybercriminal legislation and training, government and national computer emergency response team (CERT), computer incidence response team (CIRT) and computer security incidence response team (CSIRT), child online protection, professional training and courses as well as education programmes, bilateral and multilateral agreements and international cooperation.

It has received an overall medium score in legal, technical and organisational measures, public awareness campaign, capacity building as well as public-private partnerships.

But the country fared lower in cybersecurity legislation, standards for organisation and profession, standardisation bodies, cybersecurity good practice and research and development (R&D) programme. The report suggested that more work needed to be done in these areas.

Twenty one countries are referred to ‘leading stage’ (GCI score in the 90th percentile) that demonstrates high commitment in all five pillars of the ITU Global Cybersecurity Agenda, namely legal, technical, organisational, capacity building and international cooperation.

‘Initiating stage’ refers to the 96 countries (GCI score less than the 50th percentile) that have started to make commitments in cybersecurity.

The GCI-2017, the second in an index series published by ITU, measured the commitment of ITU’s 193 member states to cybersecurity.

The report said about 38 per cent of countries has a published cybersecurity strategy and an additional 12 per cent of governments are in the process of developing one.

The agency said more effort is needed in this critical area, particularly since it conveys that governments consider digital risks high priority.

“Cybersecurity is an ecosystem where laws, organisations, skills, cooperation and technical implementation need to be in harmony to be most effective,” stated the report, adding that cybersecurity is “becoming more and more relevant in the minds of countries’ decision makers”.

The GCI 2017 measured countries’ commitment to cybersecurity and helps them identify areas for improvement. Through the information collected, GCI 2017 aims to illustrate the practices in use so that ITU member states can identify gaps and implement selected activities suitable to their national environment – with the added benefits of helping to harmonise practices and fostering a global culture of cybersecurity.

“At ITU, we are committed to making the Internet more secure, safer and trustworthy, for the benefit of all,” said Houlin Zhao, ITU Secretary-General.

“While the impact generated by cyber-attacks, such as those carried out as recently as June 27, 2017, may not be eliminated completely, prevention and mitigation measures to reduce the risks posed by cyber-related threats can and should always be put in place. The GCI reaffirms ITU’s commitment to build confidence and security in the use of ICTs.”

In addition to showing the overall cybersecurity commitment of ITU’s 193 member states, the index also shows the improvement and strengthening of all GCI indicators, which are defined by the five pillars of the ITU Global Cybersecurity Agenda.


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