Adrian Tay

Who will run Asia’s internet? In the middle of a massive digital infrastructure build-out, China and America are competing for profits and geopolitical influence. I travelled to Johor, Malaysia — the heart of Asia's data-center boom — to see this front in the US-China tech war. A few American allies, notably India and Australia, have cracked down on Chinese-built internet infrastructure. But in countries like Malaysia, picking sides seems unworkable. America brings cutting-edge tech; China brings money. US concerns about Chinese espionage through its infra also strike some Asian leaders as unconvincing, coming from the world's spying superpower. My latest in The Economist: https://lnkd.in/eK_rjkZz

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With the next #generalelection on the horizon, I spoke to the authorities, tech firms, political parties, analysts and regular folks on the ground about keeping the #socialmedia and digital space safe during an election in #Singapore. Digital platforms have low barriers of entry and very wide reach, and can hence be tapped on by anyone whether for good or bad. The rise of #AI-generated content and #deepfakes adds another potentially nefarious dimension to ruses in the online domain. We’ve already seen it unfold in Singapore with #scams and extortion plots involving politicians. Beyond the technical aspects, there are also considerations like foreign interference and misinformation. Countering such issues requires raising awareness and education, along with well-considered regulation. Political parties are also gearing up for the hustings and staying prepared, adopting different policies and approaches to cope with this modern scourge. Sinister actors in the #digital space is a phenomenon observed across the world, and there are indeed lessons that Singapore can glean from the experiences of other countries. My thanks goes out to everyone who took the time to share their insights and comments with me for this piece: Carol Soon (PhD) Benjamin Ang Kasthuri Prameswaren Natalie Pang Isaac Neo Do have a read as we head towards the next general election, the first under the country’s fourth-generation leadership.

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Here are seven examples from a multitude of potential scenarios that could lead to a citizen’s wrongful arrest under the new criminal code, BNSS. https://lnkd.in/gq2NPjVK

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FutureCISO editorial opportunity - 4 August 2024 Yes, it is Sunday. I am reading about the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 2.0. I know it is developed to cater to US organisations, but given that some of these organisations operate in Asia, and many of the (security) technologies, frameworks and practices being observed in Asia have a US influence (that's another story for why), I am writing on what I hope will be an informative take on NIST CSF 2.0's relevance to CISOs and CIOs in Asia. Below are some of the questions I hope to cover: 1. Why is the NIST's CSF 2.0 framework relevant to organisations in Asia? 2. Are our current cybersecurity policies and procedures aligned with the updated categories and subcategories in CSF 2.0? 3. How can CISOs/CIOs use CSF 2.0 to evaluate their organisation's current cybersecurity maturity status and identify areas for improvement? 4. How can CISOs/CIOs integrate CSF 2.0 with other relevant frameworks and standards applicable to Asian markets? 5. How can CISOs/CIOs leverage the implementation examples provided in CSF 2.0 to improve their organisation's cybersecurity practices in Asia? 6. What resources and training will be required to effectively implement and maintain compliance with CSF 2.0 across our Asian operations? Interested parties, please message me directly. Deadline: 19 August 2024 FutureCISO FutureCIO Allan Tan Melinda Ramo CXOCIETY National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) #NISTCSF2 Clarise Goh Nigel Standley Perry Zhao Craig Shibinsky Sukhpreet Kaur Christine T.

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FutureCIO editorial opportunity - 15 May 2024 The state of penetration testing in Asia 1.    What is pentesting and why is it necessary for organisations? 2.    What role does penetration testing play in securing cloud-based and mobile applications? 3.    How do red team exercises complement traditional penetration testing? 4.    Why might some organisations hesitate to embrace pentesting and how can they overcome these challenges? 5.    How can AI-driven tools enhance testing for cloud and mobile environments? 6.    How can penetration testing benefit from real-time threat intelligence? 7.    What compliance standards should penetration tests align with? 8.    How do you see data protection regulations in Asia influencing penetration testing requirements? 9.    Reflecting on the SolarWinds supply chain attack, how will penetration testing mitigate risks from third-party vendors and suppliers? 10. As regulations evolve around AI, automation tools and cybersecurity, how should CIOs approach penetration testing in ongoing application development efforts? 11. How can AI-driven insights drive continuous improvement in application security? 12. Name one advice for CIOs and heads of security and development teams around penetration testing. Deadline: 29 May 2024 Interested parties please approach me directly. CXOCIETY Melinda Ramo Allan Tan FutureCIO #applicationdevelopment #penetrationtesting #pentesting FutureCISO #devops #devsecops Clarise Goh Nigel Standley Perry Zhao Sukhpreet Kaur Christine T.

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FutureCISO editorial opportunity - 23 May 2024 Security framework adoption trends and best practices 1.      When it comes to security framework adoption and compliance in Singapore and the ASEAN region, what are organisations getting right? a.      In which area do they falter: framework development, execution, enforcement? 2.      How can the CISO/leadership ensure that the security framework is aligned with the organization’s unique risk profile and business objectives? 3.      Setting aside senior leadership/board buy-in, do you think the security team is doing enough to educate all key stakeholders (including executives, IT teams, and employees) of the framework’s importance? 4.      Here is a scenario. Leadership has decided to modernise the company’s security framework to align with regulatory environments, how should they approach implementing the NEW framework? Big bang or phased approach? Any best practice? 5.      Any best practices for measuring the effectiveness of the framework? 6.      Any best practices for ensuring the framework evolves with changing threats and technologies? Interested parties please email me directly. Deadline: 6 June 2024 Allan Tan Melinda Ramo CXOCIETY FutureCISO Clarise Goh Nigel Standley Perry Zhao Christine T. Sukhpreet Kaur #securityframework

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As I write in GovInsider, #Malaysia's new #cyber law, the Cyber Security Bill 2024, brings the country's #legislative framework at par with the best in class. What, however, remains to be seen is how the country tackles the shortage of talented #cybersecurity manpower that plagues the industry. More #security experts will be needed to make sure the good provisions in the law are properly implemented. CyberSecurity Malaysia National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA), Malaysia Choong-Fook Fong. CEO, TEDx Speaker, Cyber Security Consultant Palo Alto Networks Sophos

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My latest piece on China's 'gray zone' aggression around the first island chain, focusing on the strategic areas of the Senkakus, Kinmen Islands, and Scarborough Shoal. The article explores how Tokyo, Taipei, and Manila are navigating the complex challenge of defending their territories without escalating tensions into open conflict. #Geopolitics #EastAsia #MaritimeSecurity #China #Japan #Philippines #Taiwan #InternationalRelations #NikkeiAsia

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Today in Asia Times, I wrote about China's advanced virtual training program, known as the "blue force," which simulates naval warfare against the U.S. The People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has developed this system using AI, virtual reality, and unmanned systems to improve combat readiness. This initiative marks China's effort to bridge its lack of combat experience and challenge U.S. dominance in the Pacific. China's "blue force" emulates potential U.S. military strategies, integrating virtual simulations and electromagnetic warfare for more realistic training. The virtual metaverse provides a testing ground for new tactics, technologies, and conceptual weapons, helping PLAN better prepare for future conflicts. This training could significantly impact the balance of power in the region, especially over contentious areas like Taiwan.

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Today in Asia Times, I wrote about Singapore's continued expansion of its submarine capabilities, highlighting the latest launch of the RSS Inimitable, a Type 218SG Invincible-class submarine. This submarine, designed to navigate Southeast Asia's complex and crowded maritime environments, has state-of-the-art features like lithium-ion batteries for enhanced endurance. The RSS Inimitable, built to ensure Singapore's submarine qualitative and quantitative edge in the region, is slated for handover in 2025 after extensive testing. The RSS Inimitable represents a military asset and a diplomatic tool, underlining Singapore's approach to regional security through technological supremacy and international cooperation. The launch is part of a broader strategy to maintain peace through strength, emphasizing readiness and deterrence in the context of rising regional tensions, particularly influenced by the strategic rivalry between the US and China. This strategy aligns with Singapore's military doctrine of being a 'poisonous shrimp'—small yet formidably armed—bolstering defense capabilities and diplomatic leverage

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Today in Asia Times, I wrote about China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) adapting Meta’s open-source AI model, Llama, to create “ChatBIT,” a tool tailored for military intelligence and battlefield decision-making. Despite Meta's restrictions on military use, the open-source nature of Llama enabled the PLA to bypass these rules, raising concerns over the potential misuse of generative AI. This development underscores the challenges of controlling AI technology amid rising global competition. The U.S. Department of Defense is closely watching these advancements, reflecting broader fears about AI’s security risks and its role in modern warfare. Experts note that while AI can streamline and enhance decision-making, its unpredictable behavior and potential for escalating conflicts necessitate strict oversight. The PLA’s retooling of Llama signals China’s broader strategy to leverage AI for strategic advantage, which could reshape the future of military engagement.

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Rising Tensions in the South China Sea: Philippines Seeks Allies to Counter China's Militarization   Readmore: https://lnkd.in/eQw7THUH The South China Sea, a vital maritime region rich in resources, has emerged as a major geopolitical flashpoint due to China's increasingly aggressive actions. Beijing's relentless pursuit of territorial dominance is evident in its rapid militarization of artificial islands within the disputed Spratly archipelago..................   #BreakingNews, #SouthChinaSea, #Philippines, #China, #MilitaryNews, #GlobalPolitics, #InternationalRelations, #Geopolitics, #SubiReef, #CurrentEvents, #WorldNews, #Trending, #AsiaNews, #Defense, #GlobalSecurity

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𝐂𝐲𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲: 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐭, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 👨‍💻Did you know Singapore has the highest concentration of #cybersecurity #talent in the world? According to LinkedIn data, 1.3% of LI members in #Singapore hold cybersecurity roles, beating out India and the US. 👾Even though cyber threats are on the rise, the demand for cybersecurity professionals seems to be cooling off globally. In Singapore, there's been a 4.9% drop in job postings for these roles between May 2023 and 2024, according to LinkedIn data. It's part of a bigger trend, with six out of 15 countries seeing similar declines. 👩‍💻Interestingly, Singapore still leads in demand for cybersecurity talent based on job postings. Plus, it ranks second globally for job transitions into cybersecurity among members with bachelor's degrees or higher. Check out more details here➡https://lnkd.in/dgxqXYu9. 🗣I recently chatted with cybersecurity expert Alvin Rodrigues, who shared some great tips for thriving in the field. His 𝐓𝐢𝐩 𝐍𝐨.𝟓 about mastermind groups really stood out—it's a concept that could be useful in any industry. ❓What do you think? #networks #IT #tips

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"The era of western domination of world history was a 200-year aberration. It's coming to an end." — Kishore Mahbubani, former President of the UN Security Council and former Singaporean diplomat He also slammed #US media for their insular coverage and lack of global perspective and awareness, particularly regarding non-Western worlds. Western dominance is indeed an historical aberration and it would do the West well to start listening and cooperating with the rest of the world. It's high time for the West to get off its moral pedestal and talk with the rest of the world on the basis of equality and int'l law. The West represents only 12% of the world's population, while the other 88% is the world's most dynamic... younger, faster growing, and rapidly evolving. #usa #china #globalsouth #brics #geopolitics

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When governments or important political forces seek to bring about major changes in current political and social realities, they often find it useful to rewrite accepted history to conform with and bolster the new truths they espouse. Quantum theory might say those revising history were emphasizing one over another of the infinite number of paths that might have led to the same point. Through such changes of emphasis, older understandings of past events may be altered, debunked, or dismissed to make the historical record more consistent with contemporary preferences. As political scientist Linda B. Miller has observed, present-day policymakers will search in the “grab-bag of history” for facts, analogies, and orientations, choosing those they deem useful while ignoring those inconsistent with their current goals. In some instances, facts and even individuals are allowed to fade from history as though they never existed and are, perhaps, replaced with new facts more consistent with currently favored perspectives. Such reinvention of the narrative of the past can be useful for a number of reasons. Reimagined pasts might highlight injustices that require redress or ancient glories that should be restored. Perhaps the record requires correction to convert saints into sinners and sinners into saints or, on a larger scale, former allies into foes and former foes into friends. Perhaps the past contains politically potent symbols of old loyalties that new ruling groups would prefer to expunge from the collective consciousness. Perhaps national honor can be salvaged by a tight focus on French or Dutch resistance to the Nazi occupation when the true norm was passivity and collaboration. Understandings of the past can have important behavioral consequences for the present. Reminding governments of an obligation made in the past may force them into unwanted courses of action in the present lest they lose their credibility. Grievances and hatreds accumulated in the past, as we shall see in chapter, can lead to violent and even barbaric behavior in the present. Political ties forged in the past affect voting and other forms of political conduct in the present. And, while it may be true that politics is driven by interests, these interests are, themselves, often products of ideologies that may, in turn, be shaped by some understanding of history. China, for example, views itself as having sovereignty over Taiwan. This interest may be defined more by history than by economic or strategic concerns, though all coincide in this case. If national interests were determined purely by material interest, might England not be better off without Scotland? Yet, mainly on the basis of shared history, most in England hoped that the Scottish independence referendum of 2014 would fail. And contemporary German foreign and immigration policy would be difficult to understand without reference to Germany’s past. 152p 2023 University of Michigan Pres https://lnkd.in/gf8PVU6W

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Cybersecurity leaders in the Asia-Pacific need to respond to increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks as they navigate a complex regulatory environment that encompasses multiple data privacy and security legislations. In such a scenario, how can CISOs stay ahead of the game and enhance resilience and regulatory compliance? In an insightful panel discussion at Information Security Media Group (ISMG)'s Virtual Southeast Asia Summit on Thursday, Jagathesh Rajavasagam from Abbott; Sourabh Chitrachar from Liberty Mutual Insurance; and Justin Ong, APAC CISO and Chief Privacy Officer, Panasonic Asia Pacific Pte.Ltd. discuss how CISOs should align their strategies with business priorities, move from a defense to an offense mindset, and collaborate to ensure that their organization’s cybersecurity approach delivers business value. Check out our coverage of the panel discussion below. #ISMGConference #ISMGSummits #SEASummit2024

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