Singapore’s Cyber Security Agency will sign separate agreements with Microsoft and Google to help the country achieve its cyber defense and cybersecurity initiatives.
Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies Heng Swee Keat disclosed the partnerships in his keynote at Singapore International Cyber Week on Tuesday. SICW 2023 runs from Oct. 16 to 19.
CSA said the industry tie-up would cover cyber intelligence sharing, joint cybercrime combat operations, and the exchange of technological know-how in artificial intelligence, capacity building and other areas.
According to CSA CEO David Kho, the agency looks forward to a close working relationship with Microsoft and Google, noting that cyber defense is a team effort and Big Tech plays a crucial role in the digital terrain.
In August, iTnews Asia reported a three-year memorandum of understanding between CSA and Washington D.C.-based Dragos to collaborate on strengthening threat detection and hunting for operational technology cybersecurity.
Singapore’s cybersecurity initiatives come on the heels of a February report by data cruncher Check Point Research that cyberattacks in the city-state cost $1.3 million on average per breach, ranking it the highest in the Asia Pacific.