State gets defensive on cybercrime

State gets defensive on cybercrime

The Thai government is preparing to expand its information security capabilities in the prevention of global cybercrime.Cyber criminals increasingly are carrying out targeted attacks on major infrastructure and government departments in cyber warfare.

The recent riots in London have also alerted the Thai government to the need to monitor suspicious behaviour on social media.
The newly established E-transaction Agency, a public organisation, plans to allocate 258 million baht in 2012 to draft a national IT security road map in order to prepare for and prevent information security losses, said its director, Surankana Vayuphap.
The agency also plans to add at least 20 security experts to take charge of computer forensic tasks and to support Thai Cert, a monitoring security operation team that was transferred from the National Electronic and Computer Technology (Nectec) under the umbrella of the Science and Technology Ministry.
Thai Cert's current responsibility is to monitor computer threats and alert its members in government agencies and key organisations, including collaborations with international organisations. The agency plans to expand Thai Cert into a national security response team for handling cyber attacks.
"Security is a crucial foundation for increasing confidence in electronic transaction business and protecting users," said Mrs Surankana.
The agency is conducting research and developing intelligent monitoring software to detect suspect behaviour on online channels, particularly websites and social media.
"This is not censorship. It instead monitors suspects by automated tools," said Mrs Surankana, who urged more education and awareness of how to use the internet.