Microsoft forms APAC cybersecurity council to increase protection against cybercrime

Global tech titan Microsoft announced the launch of a cybersecurity council that includes members across seven markets in Asia Pacific to help individuals and businesses against cybercrime attacks.

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Called the Asia Pacific Public Sector Cyber Security Executive Council, the group will include 15 policymakers from government and state agencies, as well as a number of tech and industry leaders from Brunei, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines.

The group will work towards building a strong communications channel for addressing cyberthreats and a network for sharing best practices among the participating countries. Supported by cybersecurity professionals from Microsoft, the collective is set to meet every quarter to exchange information on cyberthreats and cybersecurity solutions.

“Cybersecurity should be a priority and responsibility of all individuals, as we continue to see cybercriminal activities rise exponentially with the proliferation of data and digital connectivity,” said CyberSecurity Malaysia CEO Dato’​ Amirudin Abdul Wahab.

According to data from Microsoft, the Asia-Pacific region experiences about 1.6x and 1.7x higher malware and ransomware attacks, respectively, than the rest of the world.

As part of the council, participating government and state agency members are set to join a forum that includes Microsoft and its industry advisers to learn from the US-based giant’s security certification trainings, participate in workshops, and join hands-on lab sessions to improve the digital skills of the workforce.