Daily Briefing: Communications minister says SingHealth attack has traces of state-linked group; Singapore tests eye scan technology at immigration checkpoints

And US-based Plug and Play will launch fintech platforms in Singapore.

From Yahoo! News Singapore:

The Singhealth hacking that stole the personal information of about 1.5 million Singaporeans not sparing the Prime Minister, was found to be the work of an ‘Advanced Persistent Threat’ (APT) group which is typically state-linked, communications minister S Iswaran said.

“But for national security reasons, we will not be making any specific public attribution,” he added.

Whilst SingHealth and Integrated Health Information Systems (Ihis) are private companies, their information databases are part of Singapore’s critical information infrastructure (CII), said Iswaran. 

Based on detailed analysis by Singapore’s Cyber Security Agency (CSA), the SingHealth hackers used “advanced and sophisticated tools, including customised malware that was able to evade SingHealth’s anti-virus software and security tools”.

Read more here.

From Reuters:

Singapore commenced scanning travellers’ eyes at some of its border checkpointsin as it is undergoing the  trial of expensive technology that could one day fingerprint verification, the Immigration Checkpoint Authority (ICA) revealed.

“The trials will help us in our consideration of whether and how we should implement such technology at our checkpoints,” the Immigration Checkpoint Authority (ICA) said in an emailed statement.

The move will be implemented at two checkpoints on its northern border with Malaysia and one at a ferry terminal running services to nearby Indonesian islands.

The ICA has been collecting iris images from Singaporean citizens and permanent residents when they apply for identity cards or a passport since January last year.

Read more here.

From Deal Street Asia:

Silicon Valley-based startup accelerator Plug and Play has partnered teamed up MSIG Insurance and Indian finance firm TVS Credit Services for its insurtech and fintech platforms in Singapore.

MSIG Insurance will become a founding anchor partner of Plug and Play’s Insurtech platform in Singapore, complementing the insurer’s digital transformation journey, improving operational efficiencies and encouraging innovation culture in the region.

Meanwhile, India-based TVS Credit Services will be the ecosystem partner of the of the accelerator’s fintech programme in Singapore in order to partner, pilot and collaborate with emerging fintech startups. The focus areas include but are not limited to underwriting, customer acquisition, and people management.

Read more here.