DIGITAL-WISE: CATALYST TOWARDS A CYBER-SECURE NATION

Lyca A. Lariosa

One cannot experience success without the struggles that needs to be battled. There are always
twists and turns along the way.
International Data Corporation (IDC) tells that cybersecurity remains a high
priority in Southeast Asia as organizations embrace digital-first era and the rise of
digital sovereignty. For majority of businesses, it is a high priority investment. This
is due to the fact that technology and digital tools have been adopted at an increasing
rate not only for business applications but in a generally-wide coverage. Alongside
its advantageous impact is the surfacing cyber threats which, among many others,
are malicious software, crypto-lockers, and hacker attacks. These are few of the
challenges the Southeast Asian nations deal.
The emergence of technologies and internet of things paved the way towards
an easy and convenient leisure and lifestyle. According to Statista, Southeast Asia is
a vibrant emerging market with over 400 million internet users and a booming
digital economy. It was found out that the internet penetration rate is as high as over
70 percent in all countries except for Laos, Myanmar, and Timor-Leste. Nowadays,
the dependence to technologies, social networking sites, and various forms of
artificial intelligence is rampant that in changing times, no matter how critical life
gets, is considered the most interesting time most people can spend with. Digital
media including social and interactive media are a form media in which users can
both have fun using, share ideas and expressions, and create content based on an
individual’s liking. This media is part of the cyber world which is one of the most
used IT product not only in Southeast Asian nations but to the entire world. Some
examples of this media are facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Whatsapp, Twitter, and
Tiktok. Studies made by Pediatri show that social media usage among older children
and adolescents increases through the years. New models and units are evolving and
most elite users fret if they could not purchase one which turned to an influencing
factor to ordinary individuals as if achieving one is a validation as being in
generation Z.
It is honestly detrimental to young generation that these new products and
commercial presentation of technology arise. Along with Information Technology’s
disadvantageous impact is its beneficial uses. It could be a form of entertainment as
what was mentioned earlier above, IT products are helpful during leisure time,
educationally-purposeful, promotes ease and convenience, and is a tool for
communication along mile distances and even across the world. If parents use these
items, their children will have huge possibility that they will acquire similar attitude
and worst, be prone to exposure, which later on be addicted. Everything, today, has
something to do with digital media. The generation where radio, televisions, and
telephones are present is considered as dull. This is the rise of the globally-harnessed
digital world. This is where the cyber security is under extreme control and
monitoring.
“Cyber security is the protection of internet-connected systems such as
hardware, software and data from cyber threats,” TechTarget stated. Simply, cyber
security signifies the safety and security in the digital world. There are provisions
that mandate in preserving computer data, and protecting users’ privacy and rights
that conforms to the cyber security rules and regulations in each of the country in
Southeast Asia. There are surfacing challenges Cyber Security deal with despite the
interesting benefits. For users to enjoy their daily usage and continue the habit of
indulging in internet given the forms of media, cyber security plays a critical role in
keeping every cyber activity under control and discipline. Imagine without cyber
security agents? Continuous attack from hackers, malicious software keep bugging
users, crypto-lockers adversely scrutinizing cryptic data, scam and fraud on social
media, cybercrimes and internet injustices will keep on sucking the users’ minds and
disrupt the beauty the internet and technology brings. These are few of the threats to
cyber security which are considered as the turns or downfalls of internet of things;
the hindrance to a cyber-secure Southeast Asian nations.
Southeast Asian countries such as Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam,
Indonesia, and South Korea are known as “Cyber Five” which pertains to countries
that are disproportionately vulnerable to cyber-attacks that is due to the fact that
these areas are highly dependent on technology, according to BAKA in 2016. This
cyber-attack yields to data breach or failure in the system. It is really a big
predicament as gigantic, confidential files would be prone to risks. Data from
DGRIS sampled that Indonesia experienced more than 50, 000 cyber-attacks daily
and is the second most targeted country for the said cyber act, following Vietnam,
wherein the public and private sectors suffered 3.9 million cyber-attacks from the
2010-2013. If these cyber-attacks continue to occur, it would contaminate the trust of
users in the digital economy and prevent the suffering regions to reach the peak of its
digital potential.
Therefore, there is a need for a wise and effective counter attack to these
cyber security threats. Breakthroughs exist when attaining success, and so, in this
matter, this positive perspective is applicable. To be digital-wise is impactful in a
good side of internet or technology use. Raising public awareness about cyber
threats allow people to be in control of their online activities and are disciplined in
thinking before clicking or posting acts. Ensuring adequate and appropriate
regulations and cyber protection acts does not indicate as just a harmless warning but
adapting equality and enables possible hackers to suffer for the consequences of their
actions one carried out in a dark and regardless of reasons, if the misconduct or
cybercrime was evident, he shall suffer from the punishment of the law for cyber
protection. The development of cyber norms best addresses cyber issues in the
pursuit of maintaining peaceful, secure, and accessible digital environment for users.
Adequate strategic mindset in dealing with difficult cyber issues and digital
circumstances needs to be adopted by users and cyber security developers.
One must be mindful and knowledgeable enough before engaging in online
activities.
All thanks to the cyber security acts, need not to worry and be guided with the
provisions of cyber security protection. Cyber security agents specialize in the
protection of digital users against people and computer system breaches and
malfunction. These are the twists that needed in the hop to shut down the turns along
the way in pursuit of a cyber-secure nation, most especially in Southeast Asia, given
the status of cyber security in the region.

REFERENCES

Cybersecurity remains a high priority in Southeast Asia as organizations

embrace digital-first era and the rise of digital sovereignty
concerns in the region. (2022). Retrieved October 26, 2001, from
https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerld=prAP4978022.
Fleck, M. (2022). Cybercrime experted to skyrocket in coming years.
Retrieved December 02, 2022, from https://www.statista.com/char
t/amp/28878/expected-costt-of-cybercrime-until-2027.
Raska, M. (2018). Cybersecurity in Southeast from https://centreasia.eu/wp-
content/uploads/2018/12/Notepre%CC%81sensation-AngRaska-
Cybersecurity_180518.pdf.