Singapore cyber law to ensure operators secure information

[SINGAPORE] Singapore's upcoming cyber security legislation is intended to ensure that operators across industries take steps to secure critical information infrastructure and protect sensitive data, the government said.

The legislation isn't meant to target mobile app developers specifically and is in the early stages of development, according to a spokesman from the Ministry of Communications and Information. It is now preparing a Cybersecurity Act to be introduced in parliament next year.

Vivian Balakrishnan, minister-in-charge of Singapore's Smart Nation program, said in an interview last week the planned legislation would ensure the data that companies collect is safe from hackers.

The Smart Nation initiative, seeking to reinforce Singapore's role as a regional high-tech hub, was launched in 2014 by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

"The bill is intended to cover integrated management of cyber threats, ensure that operators take proactive steps to secure our critical information infrastructure and report incidents, and allow the Cyber Security Agency to better manage cyber incidents and raise the standards of cybersecurity service providers in Singapore," the spokesman said in an e-mailed statement.

Singapore's high rate of Internet usage and reliance on online data-processing helped propel the initiative, but also exposed it to greater cybersecurity risks.

BLOOMBERG