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Cybersecurity Posture Boosted as Govt Agency Takes Lead

A comprehensive review by the Royal Audit Authority (RAA) has praised the Government’s efforts to enhance the country’s cybersecurity posture, citing significant progress in implementing controls and meeting compliance requirements.

Improvements Identified

The audit, which covered a period of six years from 2016 to 2022, found that the Government had made substantial strides in strengthening its institutional framework for cybersecurity. The GovTech Agency was commended for taking the lead in developing and implementing policies, guidelines, and regulations to protect critical information infrastructures (CIIs) and ensure data privacy and protection.

Key Areas of Improvement

  • Development of an identification framework for CIIs
  • Implementation of security measures by CII owners
  • Review of existing laws and regulations on cybersecurity
  • Strengthening the legal framework through review of existing Acts, Rules, and Regulations

National Cybersecurity Strategy (NCS) Progress

The audit report noted that the GovTech Agency had made significant progress in reviewing and implementing the draft NCS, which is expected to serve as a guide for the country’s vision, high-level objectives, principles, and priorities in enhancing cybersecurity. The strategy aims to ensure adequate resources are made available for activities defined in the plan.

Data Protection Efforts

The report also commended the GovTech Agency for its efforts to strengthen the enforcement mechanism of legal provisions and government executive orders related to data privacy and protection. The agency has developed protocols to classify data to ensure that sensitive and confidential information is not uploaded to Google Workspace.

Cybersecurity Posture Improvement

The RAA audit found that the Government’s efforts had led to a significant improvement in the country’s cybersecurity posture, enabling it to better identify, protect, and detect cybersecurity threats. The report noted that the GovTech Agency’s leadership and coordination had played a crucial role in achieving this progress.

Quotes and Future Plans

“We are pleased to see that our efforts have contributed to enhancing the country’s cybersecurity posture,” said the GovTech Agency’s Director General. “We will continue to work closely with stakeholders to strengthen our institutional framework, implement effective policies and guidelines, and ensure data privacy and protection.”

Key Takeaways

  • The GovTech Agency has made significant progress in developing and implementing policies, guidelines, and regulations for cybersecurity.
  • The agency has developed an identification framework for critical information infrastructures (CIIs) and implemented security measures by CII owners.
  • The review of existing laws and regulations on cybersecurity is ongoing to strengthen the legal framework.
  • The development of a National Cybersecurity Strategy (NCS) is nearing completion, which will serve as a guide for the country’s vision, high-level objectives, principles, and priorities in enhancing cybersecurity.
  • Protocols have been developed to classify data to ensure that sensitive and confidential information is not uploaded to Google Workspace.

Implications

  • The findings of the RAA audit report are expected to inform policy decisions and guide future investments in cybersecurity infrastructure.
  • The GovTech Agency’s leadership and coordination have played a crucial role in achieving progress in enhancing the country’s cybersecurity posture.
  • The development of a National Cybersecurity Strategy (NCS) is expected to further enhance the country’s cybersecurity capabilities.