The relentless pace of technology development is often tailed by the emergence of new cyber threats. Organisations must remain vigilant against these dangers, as they navigate uncharted waters such as generative AI and impending paradigm shifts driven by quantum computers. Christoper Painter of the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise Foundation and Professor Lam Kwok Yan of the Nanyang Technological University share their thoughts about defending against new technological threats and why cybersecurity is the foundation for innovation.  

Ransomware has grown rapidly into a global scourge that affects businesses and government agencies alike. The counter ransomware initiative was set up to combat this scourge by bringing together experts in cybersecurity, law enforcement, and policymaking.  As countries – including Singapore – mobilise their resources, Stéphane Duguin, CEO of the CyberPeace Institute, explains how modern ransomware groups work, the threat they pose, and the challenges faced by law enforcement as they tackle this growing threat. 

CISOs today are confronted with complex, constantly evolving cybersecurity challenges. At GovWare Focus, cybersecurity leaders met with their peers, partners, and policymakers to discuss a broad range of topics, including the importance of collaborative defence, automation, and focusing on the basics when securing networks.

Complying with relevant cybersecurity standards and best practices can significantly bolster an organisation's cybersecurity posture. But how can businesses ensure that their plans are correctly implemented, and how can they tell when standards or best practices are not correctly applied? We speak with Siddharth Deshpande of Palo Alto Networks on how organisations can operationalise cyber best practices and establish trust with internal stakeholders.

Cybersecurity standards are hardly new and are used by organisations to enhance their security posture and mitigate cybersecurity risks. We speak to a CISO and a Director of Digital Policy to learn how regular stakeholder communication, adopting a common language, and fostering an environment of trust are essential when deploying cybersecurity standards.

As Southeast Asian countries digitise and deploy Operational Technology (OT) for managing critical infrastructure, the interconnected nature of these systems poses potential risks. What proactive measures can organisations and governments take to mitigate these dangers? Andre Shori, APAC CISO of Schneider Electric explains the dangers and offers some suggestions on how smart cities can enhance their readiness and resilience.

Attacks against OT networks have not abated but have instead grown in sophistication and impact. How can we increase the security of OT systems and where do we start? John Lee, the Managing Director of the Global Resilience Federation shares his insights about the escalating risks and offers potential solutions to fortify OT security in our interconnected world.

The rise of artificial intelligence in various applications has put the spotlight on the importance of data protection. As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into a range of applications, from chatbots to decision systems, Professor Lam Kwok-Yan highlights the need for robust data protection measures to address potential risks in the ever-evolving AI environment. He talks about the importance of maintaining a balance between innovation and security, and how organisations can successfully navigate the evolving AI landscape while safeguarding their valuable information.

AI technologies like ChatGPT pose significant cybersecurity risks, including deep fakes, enhanced phishing attacks, and disruption of operational systems, says Luis F. Gonzalez, the Chief Data and AI Officer at Aboitiz Power. And CISOs who remain uninformed about the capabilities of AI risk being caught unprepared. He speaks to us about how cybersecurity leaders must adapt quickly to AI-enabled threats, develop an understanding of AI, and utilise it as a defense mechanism to effectively protect their organisations.

Collaboration between the public sector and private companies is essential for effective cybersecurity. But how are public-private partnerships relevant, and how can the cybersecurity industry band together against new threats? At the CXO Plenary held at GovWare 2022, representatives from Google Cloud, Eclypsium, and the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) shared their thoughts about the erosion of the traditional perimeter and the role of partnerships in this era of digital transformation.