Singapore's Cyber Security Agency (CSA) has developed a certification scheme aimed at incentivizing businesses of all sizes to strengthen their security posture.
The program, which began on March 29, includes two certificates that were established in cooperation with certification practitioners, technology suppliers, and trade organisations, according to CSA.
A 'Cyber Essentials' certification, modeled after a similar program in the United Kingdom, will be awarded to small and medium-sized organizations (SMEs) that show adoption of fundamental cybersecurity measures to protect themselves against cyber-attacks.
Meanwhile, Cyber Trust adheres to stricter standards and is intended for larger organizations with a lower risk tolerance and greater resources.
The CSA stated that it will produce a companion paper in the coming months outlining tiered cybersecurity procedures, such as installing anti-malware solutions and safeguarding backups from unauthorized access, to suit the risk profiles of various organizations.
A toolkit and network of partners offering privacy and security goods and services will assist organizations in their certification efforts.
The plan, which will be marketed through trade organizations and chambers of business, will be overseen by eight independent certifying agencies.
Pilot program
The frameworks have already been trialed with firms such as Kestrel Aero, which leases planes for medical purposes among other things.
"On a daily basis, we handle sensitive papers like as passports, medical reports, crew certificates, and complete registration information for the aircraft we utilize," said Dev Nath Mahendran, general manager of Kestrel Aero.
"We are required to retain these details for a specified period of time, whether for reference or auditing purposes, and we recognized that if we adhere to and uphold recognized cybersecurity standards, our partners, clients, and customers will feel more secure trusting our organization with their data."
David Leong, director of Bencoolen Enterprises, which also participated as a master franchisee of Andersen's of Denmark Ice Cream Singapore, stated: "These criteria and principles were designed in a way that SMEs like us can understand" and "would reveal cyber blind spots."
"Supply chain cyber-attacks will continue to grow in the digital environment, and in the future, businesses may be compelled to certify their cybersecurity posture while conducting business to provide more confidence to their consumers," said David Koh, CEO of CSA.
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