Brief: Singapore wants 2,600 cyber security experts for National Service within 10 years

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The news:

• The Singapore government plans to tap promising students to do their national service in a new cyber security unit set up by the Ministry of Defense. Meanwhile, training camps for students will spread awareness and career advice about the sector.
• The Defense Cyber Organization will tackle digital threats to the city-state. The government wants to have 2,600 cyber security experts for the unit in the next 10 years.
• People doing their national service, a two-year stint in the armed forces that’s compulsory for all Singaporean men, can start training in cyber defense from August.

Why it matters:

• Cyber security is one of the key areas of focus for the Singapore government, highlighted during the 2017 budget announcement, which prioritized the need to train cyber security experts.
• Large-scale ransomware attacks like WannaCry made clear the need for countries to adopt robust defensive strategies. They also helped boost the stocks of companies in that sector.
• Tying training to national army service and creating a cyber defense unit echoes Israel’s approach. Unit 8200 is an elite intelligence agency that has its pick from the best and brightest in Israel’s own national service. Veterans of the unit have built cyber security companies, including Temasek-backed startup builder Team8.

Source: The Straits Times.