Axiata, Celcom to advance cyber resilience in Malaysia

• Initiative aligns with efforts to advocate cyber resilience in Malaysia
• Include threat monitoring, asset protection, business continuity

Aligned with the nation’s digital aspirations including rapid adoption of 5G services, Axiata Group Bhd has launched the Axiata Cyber Fusion Center (ACFC), which the companies claimed will further support and safeguard digital data for enterprises.

In a statement, the firms said the ACFC is designed to enable modern day threat monitoring, hunting and protection of monitored assets and business continuity and that this initiative is part of the nation’s efforts to advocate cyber resilience to advance Malaysia as a digitally progressive nation.

This includes offering comprehensive cybersecurity and business continuity solutions ranging across protective, detective, and responsive capabilities, they said.

Axiata's subsidiary, Celcom Axiata Bhd, said it will be amongst the first users of the state-of-the art facility which is primed to serve organisational needs in governance risk and compliance, strategy and architecture for IT and telecommunications security, among others. 

It added that the firm remains committed to reach out to small and big enterprises, as well as the public sector. 

Celcom said this includes introducing practical solutions to assist businesses in connecting people, players and machines from around the world with mobile, fixed, IoT solutions, providing real-time insights, managing data with cloud solutions, and protecting data with cybersecurity solutions.

Axiata’s group chief corporate officer Asri Hassan said, “At Axiata, our long-term investment, and the launch of our ACFC are part of the group’s digital trust and resilience focus that is ultimately aimed at taking an all-of-society approach towards enhancing cyber resilience.

“Since 2018, together with Celcom, we have invested over US$14.5 million (RM65 million) to bolster cybersecurity capabilities in Malaysia.” 

“The ACFC is the latest in this series of investments and we are confident that it will add significant value towards realising our aspiration of becoming a digital champion in the region, while also contributing towards creating a thriving and conducive ecosystem of cybersecurity competency in Malaysia,” said Asri.

Idham Nawawi, chief executive officer of Celcom Axiata Berhad, said, “As a service provider for the past 34 years, Celcom will continue to stand alongside the nation in transforming its aspirations into reality.

“We are committed to advocate and enhance the resiliency of our nation’s cybersecurity, leading towards building a more sustainable digital ecosystem that will benefit the rakyat and achieve the nation’s digital aspirations,” he added.

He added that Celcom cooperates with 39 technology partners, 24 of which are homegrown organisations, and are actively working towards expanding our ecosystem and the advancement of the nation with technology solutions and services, including the upcoming 5G.

The ACFC is equipped with active defence and active offence capabilities, enabling more proactive and preventive actions to strengthen cybersecurity responses for organisations, Axiata said.

It also offers protection from over 20 cyber threats every day and up to 630 incidents per month based on 24/7/365 cybersecurity monitoring.

Today, the ACFC services clients across six countries, monitors more than 10,000 information sources that span IT and Telecommunications Network assets, Axiata said.