Singapore Comes First as Launchpad for Global Cyber Attacks

The small Asian nation of Singapore has overtaken countries including Russia, China and the United States as the country launching the most cyber attacks globally, according to a study by a cybersecurity firm.

According to a report from Israeli security firm Check Point Software Technologies, Singapore is at the pole position in the top five countries launching cyberattacks around the world.

“It is not particularly unusual for Singapore to be featured among the top attacking countries,” said Eying Wee, Check Point’s Asia-Pacific spokeswoman, speaking to Bloomberg.

The analysis and conclusion was determined by Check Point’s software which tracks an average of eight to ten million live cyber attacks daily. Singapore is commonly seen as the gateway into Asia and a major hub for both commuters and trade. Similarly, Singapore also hosts large swathes of internet traffic flowing in from other countries. So, a cyberattack that originally began in other countries with traffic flowing through Singapore could be read as an attack launched in the country.

“As a commercial hub with high interconnectivity, Singapore is undoubtedly an attractive target for cybercriminals,” a spokesman for the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore stated.

Singapore, a country known for its technology-forward agenda, has stepped up efforts to tighten its cybersecurity posture following a number of high-profile attacks on government entities and private companies in recent times. Such is the threat that Singapore’s military installed a cyber defense unit alongside new legislation drafted by the Singaporean government to help companies protect critical information infrastructure.

Singapore’s defense minister Ng Eng Hen stated in July:

Singapore has now found itself on someone’s list. The attacks are orchestrated, the attacks are targeted, they want to steal specific information, there are minds behind this orchestration.

Singapore stopped most of its public servants from being able to access the public internet from their work computers, this May.

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