KUALA LUMPUR: As Malaysia continues to promote itself as a regional digital hub, the nation must adopt innovative security practices, said CyberSecurity Malaysia chief executive officer Datuk Amirudin Abdul Wahab.
He said that one promising solution that has gained traction globally is passwordless authentication.
“By eliminating the reliance on traditional passwords, we can enhance security while improving user experience.
“Passwordless methods, such as biometric authentication, hardware tokens, and one-time passcodes, offer robust alternatives that are harder to compromise than traditional credentials,” he said in his keynote speech at the FIDO APAC Summit 2024 today.
He said that embracing passwordless authentication would strengthen Malaysia’s cybersecurity, in line with the nation’s vision of a more inclusive and accessible digital society.
“It reduces the burden on users to remember complex passwords and mitigates the risks associated with credential theft.
“This will not only safeguard our digital assets but also inspire confidence among investors, businesses, and the global community in our commitment to cybersecurity excellence,” he said.
Amirudin said that Malaysia’s ongoing commitment to enhancing security efforts includes enforcement of the Cyber Security Act (Act 854), which focuses on managing cybersecurity threats and incidents.
“This Act also regulates cybersecurity service providers through a licensing framework. Concurrently, Malaysia is revising the Personal Data Protection Act to tackle contemporary issues and challenges, ensuring robust protection of citizens’ data.
“Additionally, a study is underway for a proposed Online Safety Act, aimed at expanding safeguards against online harm and evolving abusive behaviours and toxic contents,” he added.
CyberSecurity Malaysia is the national cybersecurity specialist agency under the purview of the Digital Ministry.
