OIC to come up with network to detect cyber threats
22 November 2011(The Brunei Times)

THE Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is looking to create an early warning network to prevent the spread of cyber threats from one member country to another as this can cause huge economic loss to governments.

Speaking at a technical workshop held at The Empire Hotel and Country Club, the chair of OIC-Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) said developing countries are at major risk of cyber attack due to their limited resources and capabilities, which has resulted in some of these countries now becoming epicentres of cyber crimes.

"Cyber crimes have the potential to cause huge economic losses and that is why developed countries are increasing their focuses and budget on cyber security," said General Tan Sri Dato' Seri Panglima Mohd Azumi Mohamad (Rtd).

"So we have got to develop preventative measures, we have got to develop capabilities to counter or the very least is to minimise...or in the event that it should happen, at least to provide the correct response," he said during a press conference after the launching of the five-day workshop. Intensifying their efforts to neutralise cyber threats, OIC-CERT
members are working on an early warning system to prevent threats such as hacking, cyber fraud and phishing spreading from nation to nation.

"When you have a collaboration among OIC member countries, the passage of information, in the event a member country experiences such an incident...if another member country has knowledge of such potential at least we can pass on the information," said General Tan Sri Dato Mohd Azumi. Citing examples, the OIC-CERT chair said prominent government agencies such as the UK's Ministry of Defence and the United States' Department of Defence have fallen prey to hackers, causing an international security incident.

Brunei government agencies are also not spared, with the Anti-Corruption Bureau's website hacked and defaced late last year.

Shamsul Bahri Hj Kamis, CEO of IT Protective Security Services Sdn Bhd (ITPSS), the IT security provider to the government, said they are continually monitoring vulnerabilities in government websites and networks.

"We are looking into this proactively from time to time. We monitor vulnerabilities hoping that any immediate vulnerabilities can be fixed almost immediately to avoid any exploitation," Shamsul Bahri said.

The workshop is attended by participants from 14 out of 22 OIC-CERT member countries. Present to launch the workshop was Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister's Office Dato Paduka Hj Abdul Wahab Juned.

- Quratul-Ain BandialThe Brunei Times