Malaysian 5G operator Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) says it has signed a collaboration deal with national cybersecurity specialist centre Cybersecurity Malaysia (CSM) to boost cybersecurity for 5G networks.
Under the partnership deal, which was signed at DNB’s My5G Portal experience centre on Monday, DNB and CSM will develop 5G security guidelines that will serve as a “fundamental requirement for the telecommunications industry” and serve as a guiding principle for future 5G security implementations.
DNB and CSM will also establish a National 5G Cybersecurity Testing Centre, which DNB says will serve as a platform for industry players to identify vulnerabilities, ensure compliance with standards and validate security measures. The two firms will also share threat intelligence information with each other.
Both DNB and CSM were placed under the auspices of the Digital Ministry at the start of this year. Minister of Digital Malaysia Gobind Singh Deo said at the signing ceremony that the government regards DNB’s 5G network as one of the country’s “Critical National Information Infrastructure” sectors, which impact national defence, economic stability, governmental functions and social routines.
“Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility that necessitates the pooling of resources, intelligence, and expertise,” he said in a statement. “By strengthening alliances and partnerships, we can enhance our collective ability to detect, prevent, and respond to cyber threats.”
DNB COO Nasution Mohamed added that a strong and robust cybersecurity ecosystem was essential to ensuring the resilience of its 5G network, particularly as industrial, commercial and public sectors accelerate their digitalisation efforts through 5G.
Indeed, the government is banking on 5G uptake by enterprises to drive more usage and spur digital innovation. The Digital Ministry and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) have been in talks since May to create a policy to encourage private 5G rollouts for industrial use cases in sectors such as health, manufacturing, agriculture and aquaculture.
DNB’s 5G network already covers over 80% of populated areas, and the government is currently working to establish a second 5G network under its dual-network model.