The existing approach to cyber security is heavily tilted towards practising deterrence by denial, essentially by building defences. However, the concept of deterrence needs further tweaking to make it workable in cyberspace.
The WhatsApp bug brings to light the same old dilemma between safeguarding individual privacy and enabling the state to undertake surveillance in the interest of security.
In this era of complex interdependence, sudden disruptions in supply chains will not only hurt Chinese businesses in the US and elsewhere, but also damage the US economy as well as its reputation as a business destination.
By implementing the Protection from Online Falsehood and Manipulation Act (POFMA) 2019, Singapore is demonstrating resolve to fight the growing spread of false news and misinformation campaigns.
A cyber exercise – whether CyberEx or its successor – needs to be developed as a platform for practitioners and thinkers to test conceptual and technical skills under near-real-world whole-of-nation scenarios of cyber contingencies.
Given India’s dependence on imports for 90 per cent of its telecom equipment, the decision to allow Huawei to bid for 5G should be in line with the national interest, rather than taking sides and constraining options.
Every time a cyber security organisation comes out with a decrypter to counter the effect of GandCrab, a brand new version of the ransomware is generated by effecting a small fix in the code.
A slight push in the right direction would be much more productive and efficient, such as treating telecommunications as a utility rather than a market, and building innovation and IPR ecosystems rather than incentivizing licensed production.
India, the second largest smartphone market in the world, needs to encourage and incentivise its ICT industry to not only boost ‘Skill India’ and ‘Make in India’ initiatives but also provide cyber autonomy to its critical cyber assets.
WhatsApp: One Call away from being a spyware
The WhatsApp bug brings to light the same old dilemma between safeguarding individual privacy and enabling the state to undertake surveillance in the interest of security.