HIGH-VALUE TARGETS

On the cybersecurity front, it was revealed earlier this year that all four of Singapore’s major telcos were the targets of a cyberattack by UNC3886. However, the authorities said that there is no evidence so far that any sensitive customer data was stolen.

Mr Affandy Johan, an industry analyst from Ookla, a company that specialises in internet testing and analysis, said that telcos are “inevitably high-value targets”.

“This is not specific to Singapore. Telcos serve as the connectivity layer for every other critical infrastructure sector, making them a strategic focus for sophisticated threat actors worldwide,” he said.

“What stands out about Singapore is the effectiveness of its response … Singapore’s detection and containment compares favourably to experiences in other markets where similar intrusions persisted for significantly longer periods before discovery.”

Last month, it was announced that the government will help critical information infrastructure owners (CIIOs) defend against cyberattacks with new measures, including equipping them with proprietary threat detection systems.

The proprietary tools, developed by the Centre for Strategic Infocomm Technologies (CSIT), will complement commercial threat detection systems used by CIIOs. The CSIT is a technical agency in the Ministry of Defence.

Singapore’s 11 CII sectors are energy, water, banking and finance, healthcare, land transport, maritime, aviation, infocomm, media, security and emergency services and government.

A Singtel spokesperson said: “Cybersecurity and resilience are core to how Singtel designs and operates our networks and digital platforms. 

“As a provider of critical infrastructure, we adopt a secure-by-design approach – embedding advanced threat detection, AI-driven monitoring and multiple layers to safeguard our systems and customers. 

“We work closely with national agencies such as CSA and IMDA, and continuously strengthen our capabilities to protect against evolving threats.”

In response to queries from CNA on safeguards to prevent service disruptions, StarHub said cybersecurity remains a “critical priority” and that it will continue to strengthen capabilities to safeguard customers and infrastructure. 

“We take our role in safeguarding Singapore’s critical infrastructure seriously and work closely with relevant authorities. As a Singapore company, we remain committed to supporting broader national resilience efforts,” said the telco spokesperson.

Simba said that it has “service resiliency systems” in place and a 24/7 team monitors the network.

“We have been working closely with CSA and IMDA on all matters relating to cybersecurity,” added the telco.