PETALING JAYA: The government is bracing itself against possible cyber attacks expected two days before National Day on Aug 29.
Following a video threat by Anonymous Malaysia, the government's Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (Mampu) issued a directive to various ministries, government departments and agencies to beef up their website security.
In an email sighted by theSun, the directive said the IT administrations of these entities should strictly monitor all activities between Aug 11–30 for any possible attacks.
The email also advised agencies to carry out several precautionary measures, including:
- strengthening and monitoring all network systems within the agency;
- updating all devices with the latest patches (software update);
- updating patches for all the software component on the agency's website;
- installing Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS)/ Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) (if there is none);
- activating log systems for all existing systems;
- increase monitoring for all implementing systems online;
- installing Malaysia Government Comprehensive Managed ICT Security Services (MYGSOC) for all federal agency servers;
- installing Web Server Monitoring System (WSM) for all federal agency websites.
The emails were sent out on Aug 11.
It is also learnt that several IT companies have been put on standby to monitor the websites and servers in the event of a cyber attack. An IT personnel, who did not want his identity disclosed, told theSun that he and his team were to be on standby at the end of this month.
"We were told to monitor the situation. If there is an attack, we are to rectify the problem and restore the servers and websites as soon as possible," he said.
Earlier this month, Anonymous Malaysia posted an eight-minute video on its Facebook page calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak over recent issues and allegations.
The individual, who wore a Guy Fawkes mask, said the group would go on an "all-out internet warfare" on several websites including the police, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), and 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) that it had "strategically selected".
Coincidentally, the cyber attack would take place about the same time as the two-day Bersih 4.0 demonstrations in Kuala Lumpur scheduled for Aug 29-30.
However, Coalition of Clean and Fair Election (Bersih 2.0) chairman Maria Chin Abdullah has denied that Bersih is in association with Anonymous Malaysia, adding that the coalition "does not agree nor tolerate vicious attacks, either physical or virtual, towards a democratically-elected government though there may be some flaws in the electoral system".