At the 3rd Asia Pacific Online Policy Forum by Kaspersky held recently, experts all agree that to bolster cybersecurity on the national, as well as private sector, level, it is imperative to grow and keep the talent pool.

Pre-pandemic, there are already conversations about the cybersecurity skills gap. The lockdowns prompted organizations to accelerate digital transformation to ensure business continuity. The surge in the remote workforce also meant a dramatic increase of vulnerabilities to exploit. If security professionals are limited or at least employees’ education on cyber safety is non-existent, the chances of a breach are more likely to happen.

“With the continued rise in cyber threats and cybercriminal activities impacting communities, a new paradigm has emerged for global law enforcement,” said Craig Jones, director, Cybercrime, INTERPOL. “One of the key challenges that INTERPOL identified are the gaps in law enforcement cyber capabilities and capacity, nationally, regionally, and globally. While these remain criminal networks are able to expand their infrastructure and activities. To overcome this challenge, law enforcement must be a trusted partner beyond national borders and sectors. Being collaborative, inclusive, and open will help us reduce the gaps, bridging the divides in capabilities and capacity.”

Kaspersky forum emphasizes need to invest in education to boost nations’ cybersecurity defense
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In 2019, Kaspersky has extended its cooperation with INTERPOL’s fight against cybercriminals by providing human resources support, training, and threat intelligence data on the latest cybercriminal activities.

Cybersecurity infrastructure

“In the Cyber Age, as we experience an accelerated digital transformation, we’re facing security challenges that put a strain on cybersecurity resources,” said Chris Connell, managing director, Asia Pacific at Kaspersky. “Investing in cyber talent and promoting security awareness and digital education for users are the keys to success in building cyber-resilient digital societies and economies.”

Along with skills, infrastructure is also an important component in strengthening capacity building, as noted by Prof. Li Yuxiao, VP, Chinese Academy of Cyberspace Studies. He also noted the need to strengthen the development of personnel training systems and the getting a step ahead with cybercriminals by keeping up with the growing challenges in the cybersecurity sector.

The Asia Pacific region is poised to be the hub of the 4th Industrial Revolution what with the low production costs, extensive industrial base, manpower, and government support.

“As we enter the era of the 4th Revolution, cybersecurity is becoming more important than ever,” Prof. Seungjoo Kim, member, Presidential Committee on the 4th Industrial Revolution, South Korea. “In the European Union, the regulations on automotive cybersecurity will be mandatory for all new vehicles produced from July 2024. As the importance of cybersecurity spreads across all areas, security experts are forced to have more in-depth domain knowledge than ever before. Now, it’s time for us to think about a more effective workforce development program to train security experts specialized in each industrial sector.”