Digital boom is a double-edged sword

Posted by AsiaViews | Nov 13, 2017 | 0 |

By Florian Frank*

Myanmar Times

Nov 6, 2017

WITH a rapidly growing telecommunications infrastructure and improved connectivity, Myanmar is in the midst of large-scale digitalization.

The government has launched an e-government program, banks are jumping from pen and paper bookkeeping to the use of fin-tech services. SMEs and large enterprises are setting up internal networks to streamline processes and improve productivity. It is hard to comprehend the sheer scale of this process. While the new-found connectivity and digitalization brings many benefits and opportunities, it also opens the doors to an entirely new threat – cybercrime, a phenomenon the entire world is grappling with.

In September 2016, Europol Director Rob Wainwright warned, “The relentless growth of cybercrime remains a real and significant threat to our collective security in Europe. Europol is concerned about how an expanding cyber-criminal community has been able to further exploit our increasing dependence on technology and the internet. We have also seen a marked shift in cyber-facilitated activities relating to trafficking in people, terrorism and other threats.”

Former US defense secretary Leon Panetta went a step further, saying, “A cyberattack perpetrated by nation states or violent extremist groups could be as destructive as the terrorist attack of 9/11… Such a destructive cyberattack could paralyze the nation.”

In many ways, the risk to Myanmar is even greater than to Europe or the US. Government institutions and private enterprises in all sectors are insufficiently prepared to deter cyberattacks. There is a lack of technical knowledge and no structures in place to be able to handle and assess such threats, and the initial costs of setting up cyber divisions has put off most investment in cybersecurity. The Microsoft Security Intelligence report for January to March 2017, reports an encounter rate of 23.8 percent for Myanmar. This means that 23.8pc of computers running Microsoft real-time security products reported having encountered malware. In comparison, the international average is 9.1pc. Considering that the number of computers in Myanmar running on original software is minute, it must be assumed that the real number of encounters and infected computers is much higher.

Cyber-related issues are nothing new to Myanmar, but the Rakhine conflict has brought to attention the major deficits in the country’s security infrastructure. Since the Rakhine conflict has hit the headlines of major news outlets around the world, there have been a string of attacks on government institutions and private enterprises by so-called hacktivists. Most notable were the attacks by alleged Turkish hackers on government websites that began in late August. In the aftermath of these attacks, there was retaliation by several hacker groups in Myanmar on Turkish sites, a clear indication of the growing hacker scene in Myanmar. While the two groups have announced a sort of truce, there is no reason to believe that there will be any decrease in cybercrime. What made these attacks so unique is that they were publicly covered. The vast majority of cyber-related incidences in Myanmar go unreported, which brings up another question – to whom can one report cyberattacks? The government has not come forward with any regulations in regards to cybersecurity. The country is in dire need of a cyber framework that sets forth government-mandated cybersecurity standards for sectors vital to national security, such as banking and critical infrastructure. And while the government has created the Information Technology and Cyber Security Department, there are no procedures in place for incidence response.

When looking at the current political situation in Myanmar, it is doubtful that the government will come out with any comprehensive cybersecurity guidelines in the near future. The opening of the ITCSD was a step in the right direction, but it remains to be seen if this translates into any legislation. In the meantime, it will be up to the private sector to beef up its security protocols. The growing number of companies looking into ISO27001 and PCI DSS compliance is a good sign.

Currently there are a flurry of small cybersecurity outfits and individuals in the market but very few have the ability to deliver adequate security services. When it comes to cybersecurity, it is well worth taking a second look and choosing those with proven track records. Failure to do so will result in dire consequences.

*Florian Frank is director of business development at DLG in Yangon, a consultancy specializing in cybersecurity.

(https://www.mmtimes.com/news/digital-boom-double-edged-sword.html)

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EXTRICATING NDONESIAN CHILDREN FROM ISIS INFLUENCE ABROAD

Indonesia urgently needs to revisit the possibility of repatriating the neediest of its young citizens stranded abroad, whose families had earlier joined ISIS. Most of these children are in camps in northern Syria but there are also small numbers in the Philippines, Afghanistan and Iraq. “Extricating Indonesian Children from ISIS Influence Abroad”, the latest report from the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC) argues that the government could begin by bringing back small groups of unaccompanied children under ten years of age, who pose minimal security risk and are most vulnerable to deteriorating conditions in the camps.“The problem is that health and security conditions are worsening by the day in the Syrian camps, and the children are growing older,” says Dyah Kartika, IPAC analyst. “They need access to schools, a nurturing environment, and medical attention. If the government waits too long, the children will be further exposed to ISIS ideology.” The new report examines a 2019 list of Indonesians in camps and prisons run by the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The Indonesian government has been trying to verify their citizenship, but with pseudonyms, misspellings and bad transliterations, it is a daunting task. At the time the data was collected, between March and June 2019, there were 555 Indonesians in SDF camps and prisons, including 367 children. Among the children, approximately 277 were under the age of ten and 34 were unaccompanied. In June 2021, there are fewer than ten children who are both unaccompanied and under the age of ten that could be prioritized for return. Bringing back children of ISIS families is no easy task. The report analyses the main challenges faced by the Indonesian government. These include definitional issues, bureaucratic competition, the difficulty of verifying nationality, evaluating the toll of exposure to conflict, assessing security risk, and finding relatives or others willing to provide care once the children are returned. In addition, COVID has meant stringent restrictions on travel, placing further obstacles in the way of repatriation. There are several models for rehabilitation of children exposed to violent extremism in Indonesia that could be modified to accommodate the needs of children repatriated from abroad. The report examines these models and argues that the government does not need to have every detail of rehabilitation programs in place before it starts extricating children from ISIS influence. It can start by bringing back the most vulnerable children and then modify programs as needed.

“It’s important that the government see these children as victims” says Dyah. “They deserve a chance to be children again.”

Digital boom is a double-edged sword