Global Cyber Security Challenges and the Need for International Cooperation

Authors: Salsabila Anindyasari, Wahyu Rifqi Febrian Editor: Teuku Muhammad N. Fadilah

Cyber security is all efforts made to be able to secure telematics resources so that crime in the cyber world or cyber crime can be prevented and overcome .[1] The implementation of cyber security has its own challenges both on a domestic and international scale. In the domestic context, the government, academics, and practitioners have structured roles and strategies in implementing cyber security. In Indonesia, there are five major challenges in implementing cyber security, namely knowledge, technology, economy, social, and politics. In addition, there are barriers such as lack of human resources, procedures, and prevention policies that still require coordination with various stakeholders. Another challenge is the development of technology that must be followed by the increasing types of cyber attacks.[2] Therefore, it is important to continuously develop technology and cooperate with the private sector, government, society, and international actors in maintaining cyber security.

In the global context, cyber security is also a challenge in its implementation. The rapid development of technology, attacks coming from various parties around the world, lack of cyber security experts, weaknesses in systems and applications become cyber security challenges on a global scale. Cyber security itself is cross-border, meaning that a country with a weak cyber security system will endanger the cyber security of other countries. The emergence of various types of new technologies and systems requires regular updating and monitoring of the system. In addition, cyber security challenges are also caused by the lack of international rules and regulations governing state behavior.[3]

The issue of cyber security is one of the main “concerns” for international actors. Not only state actors, but also non-state actors. Cyber security is a complex cross-border issue that requires international cooperation to ensure cyber security.[4] The more information spreads, the greater the threat to cyber security. Therefore, the issue of cyber security is no longer a domestic issue that can be resolved by each country’s government, but also requires global solutions and regulations.

Indonesia is one of the countries targeted by cyberattacks, with the latest incident being the LockBit 3.0 ransomware attack against the Temporary National Data Centre (PDNS) on 27 June 2024, which left data unrecoverable. The Ministry of Communication and Information (Kemkominfo) and the National Cyber and Crypto Agency (BSSN), which are responsible for the PDNS data security, have faced criticism from the public and the legislature. Commission I of the House of Representatives questioned why the issue has not been resolved and urged Kemkominfo and BSSN to establish a task force to protect the cybersecurity of the PDNS and prevent future attacks.[5]

 This case highlights the vulnerability of cybersecurity systems in government, and emphasizes the need for precautionary measures to ensure the security of all incoming data. Data hacking, especially sensitive or confidential data, can pose a threat to national security. While the perpetrators behind these attacks are still unknown, there is potential for external involvement. Cyber attacks not only have implications for defense and security, but also have economic consequences.

In another case, cyberattacks from China, Russia and North Korea against the United States in 2019 caused US$2.1 trillion in global economic losses. The healthcare, financial services, and manufacturing sectors were particularly targeted due to the personal information and monetary gains involved.[6] According to Lazarous Kapambwe, cyber-attacks have the potential to trigger conflicts between countries that could harm developing countries with weaker cyber defenses.[7] Therefore, co-operation and consensus building among international actors is crucial in addressing cyber security threats.

Kevin Lynch in his article on the Forbes website[8] suggests that countries must take action against the growing cyber threat. Although the G20 has tried to tackle this issue, cyber security is still not highlighted enough and efforts to create consensus across sectors need to be expanded. This is because the economic working group established by the G20 in 2016 is still unable to create an effective agreement to prevent one country’s attack on another country’s cyber security that could have implications for the domestic and global economy. Indonesia, as one of the G20 members, needs to utilize this forum to address the issue of hacking government websites and propose better ways to handle cyber threats in the future.

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