KUALA LUMPUR: Cyberattacks are increasingly shifting from data theft to disrupting essential services and critical infrastructure, posing growing risks to people’s daily lives, the National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA) has warned.

NACSA chief executive Dr Megat Zuhairy Megat Tajuddin said cyber threats targeting operational technology (OT) and industrial control systems could affect critical sectors, including healthcare, energy, water supply and supply chains.

He said incidents reported in Europe, involving disruptions to supermarket operations and blood bank refrigeration systems, demonstrated how cyberattacks could have direct consequences on public services and human well-being.

He also highlighted the growing sophistication of cyberattacks with the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), which enables cybercriminals to automate attacks and target multiple organisations simultaneously.

In view of the evolving threat landscape, he urged National Critical Information Infrastructure (NCII) entities to strengthen their cybersecurity measures, including isolating critical operational systems from external networks, improving monitoring capabilities and updating service continuity and recovery plans.

He said the Cyber Security Act 2024 (Act 854) requires NCII entities to comply with established cybersecurity requirements to enhance the resilience of their systems.

Other organisations were also encouraged to adopt NACSA’s Cyber Security Threat Preparedness and Handling Guidelines to improve their readiness in managing potential cyber incidents.

Commenting on Malaysia’s National Cyber Threat Level (NCTL), Dr Megat Zuhairy said the decision by the National Security Council to raise the level from Low to Moderate on Nov 4 was a precautionary measure and did not mean the country was facing a cybersecurity crisis.

Following the announcement, sector leads and NCII entities were instructed to enhance monitoring activities and submit weekly reports to NACSA, including reports indicating that no incidents had occurred.

He said strengthening national cybersecurity would require closer collaboration between the government and private sector, improved threat intelligence sharing, local talent development and greater use of AI-assisted monitoring.

Regular cybersecurity training and incident simulation exercises are also essential to ensure organisations can respond effectively to emerging threats.

The establishment of the Cyber Security and Cryptology Development Centre (CSCDC) under NACSA is also expected to strengthen Malaysia’s cybersecurity expertise and technological capabilities.

Dr Megat Zuhairy stressed that cybersecurity preparedness must go beyond protecting data, as safeguarding critical infrastructure and ensuring the uninterrupted delivery of essential services are equally important.

— Bernama