Digital Ministry To Introduce Intelligence System To Monitor Sale Of Personal Data

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 18 (Bernama) -- The Digital Ministry is set to introduce an intelligence system to monitor the sale of personal data on the dark web, said its Minister, Gobind Singh Deo.

He said the system, which is the first of its kind in the country, will be introduced in the second quarter of this year and named the Project on Automation Capability for Intelligence Support in Managing Personal Data Leakage Cases.

“This project was developed following rising concerns over the sale and transaction of personal data through online shopping (e-commerce) platforms, including on the dark web.

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“This is part of the Digital Ministry’s efforts, through the Personal Data Protection Commissioner, in addressing the growing global digital security crisis,” he said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He was replying to a question from Fathul Huzir Ayob (PN-Gerik) regarding the proposal to establish a Data Commission and how it could strengthen the functions of the Department of Personal Data Protection (JPDP) to reduce incidents of personal data leaks.

Gobind said that, at the same time, the ministry, through the PDP Commissioner, is actively increasing enforcement activities, intensifying advocacy programmes as well as upgrading software, applications and security used in regulating personal data security laws.

This includes, among others, raids on companies and organisations which process personal data for commercial transactions based on data breach complaints and cyber incidents that occur, in addition to opening PDP Commissioner’s offices in several locations nationwide Sabah and Sarawak Zones.

“This measure will be expanded to designated zones to facilitate the coordination and implementation of raid activities in the states.

“In addition, the advocacy and awareness programmes will also be intensified to raise awareness about the importance of compliance with personal data processing in commercial transactions based on the Principles of Personal Data Protection,” he said.

The PDP Commissioner will also implement the Information Security and Privacy Management System (ISPMS) Certification Project based on the ISO/IEC 27001 certification for Information Security Management System (ISMS) and ISO/IEC 27701 Privacy Information Management System (PIMS) standards.

He said the move is to ensure the security of software, applications, information systems, and the privacy of entities regulated under Act 709 remains at an optimum level according to international standards.

“In a bid to develop the country’s cybersecurity expertise, the ministry, through CyberSecurity Malaysia, will set up Malaysia Cybersecurity Academy as announced by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi last September.

“This move upholds the Ministry of Digital’s aspiration to fill the gap in the field of skilled cybersecurity workforce by offering courses based on Education and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET),” he said.

-- BERNAMA