CYBERSECURITY & ASEAN: CLOSING THE GAP WHY WE NEED A SINGLE, UNITED STRATEGY TO PROTECT OUR REGION ONLINE & ITS CORE CHALLENGES

Published on 19 Dec 2025

In “Cybersecurity & ASEAN: Closing the Gap—Why We Need a Single, United Strategy to Protect Our Region Online & Its Core Challenges,” Vikneswaran Kunasegaran talks about the urgent need for a unified cybersecurity strategy to safeguard ASEAN’s rapidly expanding digital economy, projected to reach US$2 trillion by 2030 under the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA). Highlighting the staggering US$23.6 billion cost of cyber incidents in 2024 alone—driven largely by AI-enabled deepfake scams—the article stresses that cybersecurity is critical to sustaining regional digital growth. Key challenges include a severe talent shortage, inconsistent privacy and data protection frameworks across member states, and emerging AI-driven cyber threats, which necessitate proactive governance and preparation. Malaysia’s leadership, particularly through initiatives like the ASEAN AI Safe Network and advocacy at ADGMIN 2025, positions it to drive cross-border digital interoperability, elevate cybersecurity maturity, and cultivate regional talent. The piece emphasizes that integrating the digital economy is only as strong as its weakest link, and achieving a resilient, trusted ASEAN digital ecosystem requires coordinated policy, talent development, technological safeguards, and responsible AI deployment, ensuring that regional digitalization is both rapid and secure.