Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

Alhamdullilahi Rabbil `Alameen Wasaalatu Wassalaamu `Ala Asyrafil Ambiae

Walmursaleen, Saidina Muhammadin Wa'alaa Aalihiee Wasahbihee Ajama'een

Assalamu'alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh, and a very good morning.

Yang Mulia Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Sufian Bin Haji Sabtu

Deputy Minister at Prime Minister's Office, Security and Law;

Your Excellencies;

Permanent Secretary;

Yang Mulia Shamsul Bahri bin Haji Kamis, Commissioner of Cyber Security Brunei (CSB); 

Yang Mulia Mohd Azad Zaki bin Haji Mohd Tahir, President of Brunei Cyber Security Association (BCSA); 

Distinguished panelists and delegates,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. Thank you for your warm welcome. I'm honored to be here this morning, to be with you all, at this inaugural Brunei Cyber Security Conference organised by Brunei Cyber Security Association. The Association itself is also a recently established non-governmental body, formed and initiated by a group of passionate and like-minded information security professionals from various industry sectors - to provide themselves a platform to engage, collaborate and contribute to the strengthening of cybersecurity practices in Brunei Darussalam.

2. The matter or need for security and protecting our assets from malicious intent is not something new, however, in an era where technology now shapes every aspect of our lives, the playing field has certainly evolved with the invent of cyber threats even well before when computers first got access to the internet as protecting data that is only inside the computer and not over any network, also comes under cyber security.

3. As technology evolves the cyber threat landscape is also constantly evolving. Therefore, organizations and individuals must continuously strengthen our defenses and adopt proactive security measures to mitigate the risks. These involves implementing various measures including the use of counter threat technologies, processes and policies, to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information and systems that we now rely on in our daily lives.

4. The formation of Cyber Security Brunei (CSB) under the purview of the Ministry of Transport and Infocommunication back in 2020 with the task of overseeing three government cyber security services – Brunei Computer Emergency Response Team, National Digital Forensic Laboratory, and Cyber Watch Centre and now the formation of Brunei Cyber Security Association is a testament of the evolving attention that is given to cyber security matters in the country.

5. The Government of His Majesty Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam is deeply committed to ensuring a secure and resilient digital environment for all citizens and businesses. It is recognized that a strong cybersecurity ecosystem, involving government agencies, the private sector, academia, and every individuals, is essential to achieving this goal. This also includes promoting awareness of the need for and the importance of cyber security in Brunei Darussalam. Therefore, the Conference today befits this function in fostering awareness and consolidating support in promoting cyber security as a shared responsibility for all.  

6. Further to this, I'm pleased to share as a further demonstration of our resolute, with the consent of His Majesty The Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, the Brunei Darussalam Cyber Security Order (CSO) 2023 has recently been enacted earlier this year. The Order emphasizes our commitment to safeguard Brunei Darussalam's Critical Information Infrastructures (CII), for essential services be it government or non-government that relates to, among others, with national security, the economy, public health, public safety or public order.

7. The Order also additionally strengthens the fundamental role of Cyber Security Brunei (CSB) being the national cybersecurity agency of Brunei Darussalam.  The Order commissions CSB to identify, designate Critical Information Infrastructures (CII) in the country and to regulate the owners of those Critical Information Infrastructures.

8. Towards this end, and inline with the theme of todays' conference “Securing Our Digital Frontier: Navigating Cyber Challenges", Cyber Security Brunei, to help organizations navigate through the Cyber Security Order, will be publishing a Code of Practice for CII, and a Guideline for Conducting Risk Assessment and Audit for CII. These guidelines will set the standards for our cybersecurity framework and facilitate the implementation of the Cyber Security Order as we strive for a safer digital environment.

9. At the same time, I am very pleased to also note that an ongoing initiative that will also complement the Cyber Security Order, 2023 in managing cyber security is also being progressed. I was made to understand the preparation of Brunei Darussalam's Personal Data Protection Order (PDPO) has been undertaken by the Authority for Info-communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI) with the help of the Attorney General's Chamber is progressing very well.  This is an aligned initiative that will contribute towards a more robust and resilient digital ecosystem in Brunei Darussalam.  

Ladies and Gentlemen,

10. In addition to all these efforts, I wish to also mention that among the more prevalent cyber security threat that concerns the public most is Social Engineering or in other words are online scams and fraudulent activities. This technique manipulates human behaviour to deceive individuals into revealing confidential information, such as pass words or financial details. 

11. Scams, fraud and other cybercriminal activities has been on the rise not just in Brunei Darussalam but also in the region as well. These issues are of utmost concern, and it is our responsibility to address them effectively while continuing to remain vigilant in our collective efforts to protect our digital ecosystem.

12. While public awareness campaigns have been done by various agencies from time to time to address these threats, it is timely that a unified approach be implemented.  This is to induce a more impactful approach while being agile and receptive to the current cyber trends and behaviours. 

13. In this regard, I'm pleased to note that various authorities and stakeholders have been collaborating in trying to establish a single platform to address these cyber-enabled or cyber-assisted crimes. 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

14. As with any threat or challenges there are also corresponding opportunities. With the evolution of cyber threats, Cyber security is now one of the leading niches of information technology. It refers to the tools, frameworks, techniques, and practices implemented to ensure the security of computing, information, and other systems and their users, and these requires people. We acknowledge that Brunei Darussalam needs to grow its pool of cyber security professionals. Collaboration between cybersecurity professionals and industry is pivotal in achieving this goal. We must strive to create more training opportunities with quality trainers right here in Brunei Darussalam.

15. Today's conference is a good platform to generate such a conversation and elicit mitigating actions amongst the government, academia and private sector. This is pertinent towards the development of the cybersecurity workforce.  As such, I am delighted to observe the growth of cybersecurity education in Brunei Darussalam. Academia has responded to the need for skilled cybersecurity professionals by offering degree's and master's programs in cybersecurity. Additionally, training centers have made short cybersecurity courses accessible, leading to a steady increase in cybersecurity professionals. 

16. The demand from companies for these skilled professionals has created substantial employment opportunities. It is my firm belief that the cybersecurity ecosystem should encompass our entire community, not solely those in the public and private sectors. And hence the setting up of the Brunei Cybersecurity Association is indeed timely.

17. I extend my wholehearted congratulations and support to the Brunei Cybersecurity Association (BCSA) with its mission to strengthen our cybersecurity community. The collaboration and participation of cybersecurity companies and academia during this conference today plays a crucial role in safeguarding both the public and private sectors. I am confident that these services will become more accessible and affordable to all, ensuring no user or a single organization, especially a CII, is left behind in addressing cybersecurity challenges.

18. With that, I hope you have a successful and fruitful day today and I extend my commendations and congratulations to all involved in making this conference a reality. Your dedication and contributions have been instrumental in its success. Let us move forward with determination and unity as we continue to secure our digital frontier and navigate the cyber challenges of tomorrow.

19. Thank you and may Cysec 2023 be a resounding success! ​