Cyber security centre to guard 'smart nation'

Cyber security centre to guard 'smart nation'

A new CyberSecurity Research Centre will be set up early next year to defend Singapore's upcoming smart nation systems.

The Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R), a unit of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star), and Singapore Technologies Electronics' Info-Security subsidiary will set up and staff the centre. It will specialise in cyber forensics in intelligent transport systems and driverless vehicles, for starters.

This follows the Government's plan to install up to 1,000 sensors - which can be in the form of computer chips or surveillance cameras - across Singapore by the end of next year.

These sensors, part of Singapore's Smart Nation Platform, will support various government projects, such as one to increase surveillance in Little India and Geylang, and another to better monitor the risk of the Singapore River flooding.

"The growing interconnectivity and inter-dependency of these different (smart nation) systems means they could become prime targets for attacks," said A*Star chairman Lim Chuan Poh.

"Strengthening the security of these systems as they become more valuable to us is therefore another key area of focus."

He was delivering the opening address at the ICM (Information, Communications and Media) Horizons annual infocomm technology exhibition yesterday.

I2R also announced plans to work with the Housing Board, Singapore Power and locally-based industrial energy solutions maker Narada to develop energy storage systems for solar power.

"Singapore is the leading clean-energy hub for the region and clean technology has been identified as a key growth area by the Government as early as 2007," said Mr Lim.

itham@sph.com.sg


This article was first published on Oct 24, 2014.
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