The Government of Malaysia has entered into a transformative long-term agreement with BlackBerry, marking a significant stride in fortifying the nation’s cybersecurity defenses. This groundbreaking deal empowers the Malaysian Government to harness the full spectrum of BlackBerry’s cybersecurity solutions, with a key focus on enhancing the resilience of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and elevating the cybersecurity skills of the nation’s workforce.
Under the agreement, the Malaysian public sector stands to benefit from secure, real-time access to BlackBerry’s cutting-edge software and services, all hosted within a sovereign cloud. This move not only bolsters cybersecurity but also aligns with the broader goal of upskilling the workforce in advanced cybersecurity technologies through comprehensive training programs.
A notable aspect of the collaboration is BlackBerry’s commitment to establishing a Cyber Security Centre of Excellence (CCoE) in Kuala Lumpur by 2024. This will serve as a hub for specialized training, addressing Malaysia’s current shortfall of 12,000 cybersecurity professionals. Notably, this marks BlackBerry’s first CCoE in the Asia Pacific region, expanding its existing network in America, Canada, and Europe.
The CCoE in Kuala Lumpur will not only offer crucial cybersecurity education and training but also provide ‘always-on’ cyber threat intelligence and incident response teams. These teams will play a pivotal role in safeguarding the nation against malicious cyber activities targeting businesses, governments, and critical infrastructure.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim highlighted the importance of international partnerships embracing cutting-edge technology and foreign investments to rapidly scale up and train a world-class cybersecurity workforce. The establishment of the CCoE is expected to contribute significantly to this goal, fostering collaboration, intelligence sharing, and expanding BlackBerry’s global threat intelligence network.
This landmark partnership signifies Malaysia’s commitment to staying at the forefront of cybersecurity, ensuring the safety of its citizens and data in an era of evolving cyber threats.
