Malaysia Trustmark for private sector launched

• To audit and validate websites; aims to promote greater trust and confidence in e-business
• CSM’s Cyber999 Help Centre received 4,001 reports of online fraud incidents last year

CYBERSECURITY Malaysia (CSM) has launched its Malaysia Trustmark for Private Sector programme, which will assess and certify e-business entities to help consumers identify those that are legitimate.
 
CSM, an agency under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), said the programme would audit and validate websites, and aims to promote greater trust and confidence in e-business.
 
Citing Euromonitor International, CSM chairman General (Rtd) Mohd Azumi Mohamed said the Internet retailing market in Malaysia is expected to exceed RM1.9 billion (US$623 million) in sales by 2016, from RM842 million in 2011.
 
“As e-business gains popularity, cyber-criminals see the opportunity to set up fraudulent websites,” he said, adding that these sites lured Internet users who end up being victims of fraud.
 
Last year, CSM’s Cyber999 Help Centre received 4,001 reports of online fraud incidents, which accounted for 40% of the total 9,986 incidents reported throughout the year, the agency said in a statement.
 
The common complaints included those on phishing sites, online scams and bogus websites.
 
“Such incidents of fraud raise the issue of trust. Hence, it is indeed timely that we launch the Malaysia Trustmark to boost consumers’ confidence in e-business,” said Azumi (pic).
 
“Malaysia Trustmark is a programme where we assess and certify e-business entities and provide Internet users a way of identifying e-businesses that are legitimate and will deliver as promised,” he added.
 
Malaysia Trustmark became a member of the World Trustmark Alliance (WTA) in 2011, as a way of ensuring that it complies with global e-business practices, CSM said.
 
The Malaysian Government has appointed CSM to be the certifier for the Malaysia Trustmark for the Private Sector programme, said the agency’s chief executive officer Dr Amirudin Abdul Wahab.
 
“Organisations that satisfy the assessment criteria will be awarded the Malaysia Trustmark certificate or seal.
 
“Implementation of the Malaysia Trustmark improves the competitiveness of Malaysian e-business in the global market; enhances Malaysia’s reputation as a country operating in conformance with high levels of security standards; and builds trust in e-business,” he said.
 
The Malaysia Trustmark for Private Sector started operation in 2012, and has obtained many applications since last year. As for today,
 
CSM said it has received 43 applications since Malaysia Trustmark for Private Sector started operations in 2012, with 12 of them having been accepted for evaluation, eight having been audited, and six successfully certified.
 
More information about Trustmark Malaysia is available at http://www.mytrustmark.cybersecurity.my/.
 
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