Singapore – The decision to separate Internet surfing from computers with access to the government’s internal networks was made in response to cyber security threats, said the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and the Cyber Security Agency (CSA) at a media briefing on Thursday.
David Koh, CSA chief executive, said: “Singapore is under constant attack on the cyber front. We are a prime target for cyber criminals, gangs, hacktivists and even state actors. As public servants, we have a duty and responsibility to protect the government and the citizens’ information and data. It is crucial we prevent breaches and disrupt what is known as the ‘cyber kill chain’ to raise our cyber defensives.
“This move of Internet surfing separation will significantly reduce the attack surface and make it harder for attackers to exploit our systems. Cyber security is a key enabler for Smart Nation. We can’t be a Smart Nation that is trusted and resilient if our systems are open and vulnerable.”
The IDA clarified that the policy would still allow public servants to have access to the Internet, albeit on computers that do not have access to the whole-of-government (WOG) information and communications (ICT) infrastructure. It also assured that the policy would neither affect various government e-services nor citizen engagement via e-mail.
Jacqueline Poh, IDA managing director, said: “Public servants will continue to have access to Internet surfing but it will not be from the same device used to access the government’s internal networks. We are not alone in enacting such policies to safeguard critical government and citizen data. We acknowledge that there will be some initial adjustment issues and are committed to working with our staff to develop alternatives so that they may continue working productively.”
IDA added that the separation of Internet surfing from internal systems has been in place in several government agencies and is also present in other organisations such as banks.
Ong-Ang Ai Boon, director, Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS), agreed with the move. “ABS fully supports all efforts to strengthen cyber security and to raise awareness of the risks. We appreciate that due consideration must have been made in the decision that was taken. Banks here take cyber security very seriously and have various policies and processes in place. The industry will continue to stay vigilant and to assess ways to enhance cyber security.”
This article was first published on June 10, 2016.
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