EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Despite Singapore’s small size –it’s about 13,673 times smaller than the US-, the country is embracing cyber security to fortify its enterprises and public sector.
For years, the country has received international acclaim as a new hub of tech innovation, with a renowned CEO declaring that it has the potential to become a “miniature Silicon valley.” According to Singapore’s Economic Development Board, of the 100 top global tech firms, 80 retain outfits in the city.
The chief executive of the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore, David Koh, notes that “The pace and scale of Singapore’s digitalization push will only become more intense under the country’s smart nation initiative,” pressing on with the words, “These and other foundation initiatives will enhance the competitiveness and productivity of our economy, but the more digitalized and connected we become, the more important it is to secure our systems.”
As Mr. Koh points out, in 2017, Singapore served as the largest foreign exchange center in the Asia-Pacific Region. Any lapse in infrastructure operations would instantly reverberate in other parts of the world, including London and New York.
Due to a close focus on cyber security, the tiny island nation ranks at the top in the United Nation’s International Telecommunication Union’s Global Cybersecurity Index.
As a small nation that faces outsized threats, the country’s leaders are advocating for an international legal structure governing nations’ cyber security behavior. “Otherwise, the alternative is a world order where might makes right, where rules and norms are routinely flouted, and where there is considerable uncertainty about the sanctity of international agreements and norms,” Koh contended.
Koh recently shared his expertise on cyber security at the 8th Annual International Conference on Cyber Engagement, held earlier this week, in Washington D.C.
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