Malaysia’s much anticipated 15th General Election, which is less than three weeks away, is already witnessing an influx of fraudsters leveraging the opportunity to exploit citizens.
Malaysia has already recorded over 20,000 cybercrime incidents last year, with losses amounting to RM560 million, as per the deputy secretary-general (Security) of the Home Ministry, Datuk Abdul Halim Abdul Rahman.
With lucrative monetary gains on the line, cyber adversaries are always on the prowl to deploy phishing attacks to obtain valuable personally identifiable information. We strongly encourage all the stakeholders involved to prioritise a cyber-safe election and take necessary steps towards securing ownership of the digital ecosystem through education, public awareness, policy, and regulation.
Voters too have an important role to play in safeguarding themselves against such frauds. Digital hygiene and basic practices such as vigilance, awareness and thinking before clicking on unsolicited links can go a long way in mitigating such attacks.
As GE15 continues to dominate our daily conversation, we tend to overlook risks and threats that continue to loom large. Political parties, candidates, the government, and even voters need to realise that cybercriminals are looking out to profit from this opportunity, and that all of us are susceptible to cyberattacks. When it comes to cybersecurity, prevention is always better than cure.
By Suk Hua Lim, Country Manager, Palo Alto Networks, Malaysia
