One of the world’s most cyberconnected countries, Singapore, plans to spend at least $23 million in the next three years to fight hackers and other cybercriminals, government officials announced this week.
A new National Cyber-Threat Monitoring Center—intended for full operation by mid-2006—is planned to keep a round-the-clock detection and analysis of computer virus threats, according to deputy prime minister Tony Tan, who called the center a nerve system for Singapore.
"We cannot afford to treat the threats from cyber terrorists, cyber criminals and irresponsible hackers lightly," said Tan in a speech announcing what he called the country’s information technology security master plan. "Infocomm security is as important in protecting Singapore as is physical security at our borders."
As high as sixty percent of Singapore’s 4.2 million people have their homes wired to the Internet, according to several reports which noted Singapore in 2003 passed strict laws allowing monitoring of all computer activity—and police pre-emptive action to protect state computers from cyberattack.
The National Cyber-Threat Monitoring Center is far from the only place Singapore plans to spend that $23 million earmark. Tan also said the money would go toward helping businesses improve security for online financial transactions and to work with the government in improving online security.
