CSI Singapore! Singtel launches cybersecurity institute

• Says it is the first of its kind institute in Asia Pacific
• Holistic training for boards, management, tech and ops personnel

 
SINGAPORE Telecommunications Ltd (Singtel) has launched the Singtel Cyber Security Institute (CSI), which it described as a hybrid between an advanced cyber range and an educational institute.
 
The CSI is a first-of–its-kind in the region to test and train companies in dealing with sophisticated cyberthreats, the company said in a statement.
 
“Based on our engagements with companies in Singapore, more than 85% do not have robust cyber response plans nor the opportunity to conduct realistic drills to test and sharpen such plans,” said Bill Chang (pic above), chief executive officer of Group Enterprise at Singtel.
 
“This lack of cyber preparedness is worsened by the severe global shortfall of trained cybersecurity experts, which Forbes puts at about one million in 2016.
 
“This is why we’ve stepped up to the plate – we know we have to help companies secure themselves against a potential slew of increasingly sophisticated cyber-attacks,” he declared.
 
Housed in a permanent space of over 10,000 sq ft, the institute will provide cyber skills development and education programmes tailored to the varying needs of company boards, C-suite management, technology and operational staff.
 
Boards and C-suite level participants will be trained in the areas of cyberthreat awareness, risk management, business continuity planning and crisis communications preparation, Singtel said.
 
The cyber operations team will be trained in defence and response capabilities to sharpen their skills, it added.
 
“Cybersecurity is no longer just a technical issue to be tackled only at the operational level,” said Chang.
 
“It needs to involve all levels within an organisation including boards and C-suite management, and even external stakeholders such as regulators,” he added.
 
In conjunction with the launch of the CSI, Singtel announced that it is the first company in Singapore to work with the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) on the Cyber Security Associates and Technologists (CSAT) Programme to train ICT professionals in cybersecurity.
 
Under this programme, Singtel will train fresh ICT professionals and equip them with basic cybersecurity skills.
 
At the same time, it will also provide experienced cybersecurity professionals with the opportunity to enhance their skills by training with leading cybersecurity experts.
 
Through this two-pronged approach, Singtel aims to build a cybersecurity talent pipeline to drive its own cybersecurity initiatives, it said.
 
“A strong pool of cybersecurity talent is necessary to build a dynamic cybersecurity ecosystem that can support Singapore’s Smart Nation journey,” said Cyber Security Agency chief executive David Koh.
 
“With the introduction of the CSAT Programme and the setup of the institute, we hope to encourage more to join the profession, as well as to enable cybersecurity professionals to hone their skills and stay a step ahead in the ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape,” he added.
 
The CSI can emulate the environments and operations of enterprises using state-of-the-art technologies, Singtel said.
 
Like other cyber ranges, the facility can simulate cyber-attacks in order to test a company’s inherent vulnerabilities, defence and response capabilities.
 
Unlike other ranges however, the new facility can easily replicate any company’s operating environment and use the latest range of cyberthreats, including an extensive library of viruses and malware, to simulate attacks, the company claimed.
 
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