IMDA develops telco cybersecurity roadmap

The authority will also launch an electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) implementation guide.

The Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA) is developing a new multi-year roadmap to identify and recommend solutions needed to secure Singapore’s connectivity infrastructure is underway, an announcement by senior minister of state for communications and information Janil Puthucheary revealed.

The roadmap will be developed by a newly-formed Telecom Cybersecurity Strategic Committee (TCSC) with the first set of recommendations slated for publication later in 2019. The framework will reportedly identify areas for improvement in Singapore’s telecom cybersecurity capabilities, and recommend strategies, policies and initiatives.

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“Connectivity structure is a key building block for Singapore’s economy,” IMDA highlighted in its statement. “The changing needs of the digital economy will require trusted, secure and resilient next-generation connectivity infrastructure, including 5G and narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) sensor networks.”

Meanwhile, IMDA added that it will launch two additional initiatives to fortify Singapore’s infocomm sector in the form of an electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) implementation guide and a cybersecurity guide for Internet of Things (IoT) systems.

The eKYC guide aims to make it more convenient for consumers to register for mobile services online in a trusted manner by enabling operators to digitally verify mobile services registrations without the need for physical face-to-face transactions, IMDA revealed. The launch of the eKYC is said to provide guidance to the industry on the management of security concerns in their deployment of eKYC solutions, as well as drive innovation in Singapore’s digital economy.

“Through eKYC, subscribers can take up new services and move between operators more seamlessly over-the-air (OTA) without changing their SIM card or visiting a physical store,” IMDA added.

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Likewise, IMDA launched a public consultation on its cybersecurity guide for IoT systems which seeks to promote best industry practices in mitigating cybersecurity risks for organisations looking to deploy such systems. “The IoT cybersecurity guide aims to help organisations make better purchasing and deployment decisions for IoT systems by taking security designs into consideration,” the agency explained.

Meanwhile, IMDA has also partnered with the National University of Singapore’s Centre for Quantum Technologies (CQT) to offer additional workshops and training programmes for government agencies and the industry in a bid to build industry capabilities in such technologies to gain technical understanding.