A plan by the Malaysian Government to introduce a kill switch to improve online security and tackle cybercrimes has been called bold by a cybersecurity expert who says it could potentially dial down the rate of cyber incidents.
“The proposed kill switch by Malaysia’s Government is a bold plan, designed to enable rapid intervention by authorities that would allow them to swiftly cut off access to purported malicious sites or services,” said Anne Cutler, a cybersecurity expert at Keeper Security.
This week, the government said the initiative is expected to be tabled in Parliament in October. It will increase the responsibility of social media platform providers and internet messaging service providers to combat cybercrimes such as online scams, cyberbullying, child pornography, and sexual harassment.
“In theory, this could substantially mitigate the impact of severe cyber incidents, including large-scale online scams, cyberbullying and other serious digital crimes,” added Cutler. “By enabling authorities to quickly cut off access to dangerous sites or services, and particularly social media providers, which are in the Malaysian Government’s crosshairs, it could serve as a powerful weapon against persistent and harmful cyber activities.”
“However, while the kill switch could offer potential benefits, it is not without limitations and certainly not without controversy as many consider the idea to be censorship, and others believe it’s simply a political ploy to apply pressure on social media platforms. ”
“Regardless of whether the kill switch concept comes to fruition, the Malaysian government must ensure it has a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy that includes advanced threat detection, public awareness campaigns and robust fraud prevention measures,” Cutler said.
The Malaysian Government is also planning amendments to the Penal Code and will host the International Legal Conference on Online Harms 2024, featuring experts discussing cybercrime and social media regulation.
