While Malaysia may not be known as an early adopter in technology, the country still has caught up with some of the dominant technology trends in security. Thie article looks at some of the security technologies that are gaining momentum in Malaysia.
While
Malaysia may not be known as an early adopter in technology, the country still has caught up with some of the dominant technology trends in security. Below we look at some of the security technologies that are gaining momentum in Malaysia.
Mobile credentials
Mobile access control, where doors are unlocked by way of the user’s smart device, is seeing increased deployment in different parts of the world. Malaysia is no exception.
“The widespread use of mobile devices is driving the demand for digital security and identity solutions in Malaysia and globally. The ever-present nature of mobile devices makes them a natural fit for extended identity applications. Organizations are upgrading legacy hardware in favor of multi-tech readers that can handle both physical security cards and mobile device-based digital credentials,” said Lee Wei Jin, Regional Director of FARGO, Secure Issuance for Asia Pacific at HID.
He added: “Mobile devices are less likely to be lost or stolen, and their built-in security safeguards mean that even if they are misplaced, one's identity likely won’t be compromised. In Malaysia, we continue to see growth in the physical identity market and expect to see physical IDs converging with mobile applications, where digital IDs will act as an extension of the physical credentials.”
AI and machine learning
According to Lee, AI and machine learning are being increasingly integrated into security solutions to enhance threat detection and response. “These technologies can analyse vast amounts of data to identify patterns indicative of cyber threats, automate responses to security incidents, and predict future vulnerabilities,” he said.
Cloud
Cloud, which offer numerous benefits such as remote management and scalability, is also picking up steam in Malaysia., especially in the area of issuance of physical and digital identities.
“From private organizations to educational institutions and governments, cloud-based card issuance offers a powerful model to create a seamless experience for both the issuer and the recipient,” Lee said. “A cloud-based issuance model contains everything required for the secure issuance of a physical ID card accessed via any internet-connected device, whether that is a laptop, tablet or mobile phone. This provides a distributed issuance process in a centralised way, allowing administrators to create a new card, issue a replacement card and manage print queues from any location to any print location near or far.”
Cybersecurity
Finally, with Malaysia becoming increasingly digitized and more devices – including security systems – connected to the Internet, cyberattacks and threats have become real concerns. This, then, triggers more demand for cybersecurity products and solutions.
Yeo Siang Tiong, GM for Southeast Asia at Kaspersky, cites statistics as suggesting the Malaysia cybersecurity market size is expected to grow from US$950 million in 2023 to $2.06 billion by 2028. “The main driver of this is the rising cyber threats and the growing awareness of both individuals and organizations about them,” Yeo said. “The cyber threats in Malaysia is expected to remain on the rise in 2024, especially for organisations dealing with personal data in the financial and telecommunications industries.”
According to Yeo, both government and the private sector have taken steps to combat cybercrimes. “Malaysia recognizes the importance of cybersecurity and the nation has two agencies, National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA) and CyberSecurity Malaysia to address cyber threats and promote digital awareness,” Yeo said. “The government is also in the midst of drafting a new law to bolster the country’s resilience and response to cyber threats.”
In the private sector, cybersecurity has also gained awareness among end user entities, many of whom are taking concrete measures to fight cybercrimes.
“Our latest survey revealed 19 percent of companies in Asia Pacific have experienced cyber incidents due to insufficient cybersecurity investment in the last two years. When it comes to companies’ finances, nearly one in five admit they do not have the budget for adequate cybersecurity measures,” Yeo said.
Yeo added: “Many respondents' companies are eager to take steps to strengthen their cybersecurity in the next 1-1.5 years. We are positive that companies will make cybersecurity as part of its investments this year, because not doing so can expose them to possible damages from a successful attack.”
However, challenges still remain in the effort to make Malaysia more cyber-secure. According to Yeo, these include the following:
- Talent shortage – a recent study by the Department of Skills, the Center for Instructor and Advanced Skill Training and CyberSecurity Malaysia found that Malaysia needs 27,000 cybersecurity knowledge workers by the end of 2025;
- The cyber threats are getting more sophisticated – Kaspersky research shows a 30 percent surge in the number of targeted ransomware groups globally from 2022 to 2023;
- Budget constraint – 15 percent of companies globally have experienced cyber incidents due to insufficient cybersecurity investment in the last two years;
- Proper cybersecurity training – one in two cybersecurity professionals were not able to confirm the usefulness of their academic training when it came to helping them in their role.
Despite these challenges, Yeo says Kaspersky will continue to help partners strengthen their cybersecurity profile and stay protected against cyberattacks. “At Kaspersky, we prioritize our partners and actively invest in building a strong, profitable network. We have recently revamped our United Partner Program, tailoring it to different partner business models,” Yeo said.