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Sep 30, 2009
Unit to fight cyber threats <!--10 min-->
<!-- headline one : start --> <!-- headline one : end --> <!-- Author --> <!-- show image if available --> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr></tr> <tr> </tr> <tr> </tr> <tr><td colspan="2" class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold">By Zakir Hussain </td></tr> <tr valign="bottom"> <td width="330">
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SITSA will come under the ministry's Internal Security Department, which has been playing a key role in protecting the security of the Government's IT systems. -- ST PHOTO: JOSEPH NAIR FOR THE STRAITS TIMES
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A NEW Government agency has been set up to fight terror attacks on their most virulent battleground: the Internet.
<table valign="top" align="left" width="200"> <tbody><tr><td class="padr8"> <!-- Vodcast --> <!-- Background Story --> RELATED LINKS
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SPEECH BY MR. K SHANMUGAM, MINISTER FOR LAW AND 2ND MINISTER FOR HOME AFFAIRS, AT THE 18TH GOVERNMENTWARE SEMINAR
<!-- Photo Gallery --> </td></tr> </tbody></table> The Singapore Infocomm Technology Security Authority (SITSA), which starts work Thursday, will be the national specialist authority on infocomm technology security threats. Its formation is aimed at hardening Singapore's security infrastructure, especially in light of recent attacks on the websites of Governments and major organisations in places like Estonia, the United States and South Korea.
'The volatile IT landscape of today demands that Singapore adopt a more proactive strategy that places emphasis on anticipating and neutralising emerging threats,' said Second Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam, who announced the set-up of SITSA at the opening of a three-day conference on IT security organised by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
SITSA will come under the ministry's Internal Security Department, which has been playing a key role in protecting the security of the Government's IT systems. It will be led by Mr Ng Hoo Ming, who will be its director.
The new outfit has its work cut out for it. Mr Shanmugam outlined two new initiatives it is embarking on. One, it will toughen the national infocomm infrastructure, especially in key sectors such as energy, transport, water, banking and finance. Two, it will work on preparing the country for large-scale cyber attacks and the disruption they may cause. From next year, it will also hold cyber security exercises on a regular basis to identify gaps and test the country's ability to respond and recover from such online attacks. As many critical computer systems are designed, developed and run by the private sector, SITSA will work with private sector professionals to sharpen overall cyber defence capabilities, added Mr Shanmugam.
Sep 30, 2009
Unit to fight cyber threats <!--10 min-->
<!-- headline one : start --> <!-- headline one : end --> <!-- Author --> <!-- show image if available --> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr></tr> <tr> </tr> <tr> </tr> <tr><td colspan="2" class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold">By Zakir Hussain </td></tr> <tr valign="bottom"> <td width="330">
</td> <td width="10">
SITSA will come under the ministry's Internal Security Department, which has been playing a key role in protecting the security of the Government's IT systems. -- ST PHOTO: JOSEPH NAIR FOR THE STRAITS TIMES
</td></tr> </tbody></table> <!-- START OF : div id="storytext"-->
A NEW Government agency has been set up to fight terror attacks on their most virulent battleground: the Internet.
<table valign="top" align="left" width="200"> <tbody><tr><td class="padr8"> <!-- Vodcast --> <!-- Background Story --> RELATED LINKS
<!-- Audio --> <!-- Video --> <!-- PDF -->
<!-- Photo Gallery --> </td></tr> </tbody></table> The Singapore Infocomm Technology Security Authority (SITSA), which starts work Thursday, will be the national specialist authority on infocomm technology security threats. Its formation is aimed at hardening Singapore's security infrastructure, especially in light of recent attacks on the websites of Governments and major organisations in places like Estonia, the United States and South Korea.
'The volatile IT landscape of today demands that Singapore adopt a more proactive strategy that places emphasis on anticipating and neutralising emerging threats,' said Second Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam, who announced the set-up of SITSA at the opening of a three-day conference on IT security organised by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
SITSA will come under the ministry's Internal Security Department, which has been playing a key role in protecting the security of the Government's IT systems. It will be led by Mr Ng Hoo Ming, who will be its director.
The new outfit has its work cut out for it. Mr Shanmugam outlined two new initiatives it is embarking on. One, it will toughen the national infocomm infrastructure, especially in key sectors such as energy, transport, water, banking and finance. Two, it will work on preparing the country for large-scale cyber attacks and the disruption they may cause. From next year, it will also hold cyber security exercises on a regular basis to identify gaps and test the country's ability to respond and recover from such online attacks. As many critical computer systems are designed, developed and run by the private sector, SITSA will work with private sector professionals to sharpen overall cyber defence capabilities, added Mr Shanmugam.
