The National ICT Association of Malaysia (Pikom) has praised the introduction of the Central Database Hub (Padu) but has urged the government to work with the private sector to enhance cybersecurity in critical government IT infrastructure.
Pikom believes that a more comprehensive approach to security is necessary in light of the recent security breach affecting Padu. The organization feels that vulnerabilities could have been identified during the platform’s development and testing phases.
The association emphasizes the importance of engaging independent security experts throughout the entire software development process. Pikom believes that assessments conducted by real-world threat actors and penetration testers would significantly strengthen the platform’s resilience against cyber attacks.
In a statement on Saturday (Jan 6), Pikom highlighted the need to strike a balance between leveraging existing resources and engaging external expertise, particularly with complex technological initiatives involving sensitive data.
Furthermore, Pikom has urged the government to consider collaborating with the private sector to upskill public officers in niche areas like cybersecurity. The organization suggested that industry attachments, where public officers work within established private companies, can provide invaluable real-world experience and exposure to cutting-edge security practices.
Pikom believes that such knowledge transfer would enhance the capabilities of public officers and ensure the robust development of future projects’ security.
