Singapore’s government and industry sectors are bolstering defenses against cyberattacks, with the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and other agencies deepening collaboration with local and foreign partners to protect critical digital infrastructure.
In July 2018, the personal data of 1.5 million individuals, including the then prime minister, was compromised in an attack on the country’s largest group of health care institutions, while a February 2021 attack on leading telecom operator Singtel compromised the data of 129,000 people.
But when Singtel was targeted again in June 2024 in what investigators believe was part of a global campaign by a People’s Republic of China state-sponsored hacking group known as Volt Typhoon, the attack was repelled before any data loss or disruption of service occurred.
The successful response followed a number of key improvements to Singapore’s cyber defense capabilities, notably the 2022 establishment of the Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS) as the SAF’s fourth branch.
The DIS’s focus areas include safeguarding the SAF’s digital infrastructure from cyberattack; intelligence gathering and analysis; digital warfare and information operations; securing command-and-control systems; and ensuring operational resilience in the face of sophisticated cyber threats.
The DIS works with the Cyber Security Agency (CSA), which is managed by the Ministry of Digital Development and Information, to provide centralized oversight of national cybersecurity functions. The DIS and CSA signed a joint operations agreement in November 2022. In November 2024, they organized the third Critical Infrastructure Defence Exercise (CIDeX).
CIDeX drew more than 200 participants from nearly 30 organizations and included simulated attacks against Singapore’s cellular, gas and airport systems. It also focused on artificial intelligence (AI), including threats that could jeopardize AI-powered systems.
CIDeX hones cyber defenders’ skills and demonstrates “our close cooperation with CSA and critical infrastructure organisations across the various sectors,” Brig. Gen. Edward Chen, the SAF’s chief of cyber defense, said in a news release.
The DIS also participated in defense exercise Super Garuda Shield in Indonesia in September 2024, conducting expert exchanges on cyber-defense techniques with international counterparts.
Meanwhile, the ninth Singapore International Cyber Week in October 2024 highlighted the importance of trust and security amid geopolitical tensions, supply chain risks and pressure on democratic systems. It also fostered international collaboration on policy, and technical and diplomatic cybersecurity issues. About 12,000 delegates from over 80 countries attended, with key events including an Association of Southeast Asian Nations ministerial conference on cybersecurity, and panel discussions on topics such as technology regulation and election security.
In January 2025, the DIS and United States-based cybersecurity firm Dragos announced an agreement on enhancing cybersecurity capabilities, collaborating on strategic planning and training, and sharing information on cyber threats. “The DIS continues to expand and build on its partnership with key partners across various sectors, including the tech industry, to further cyber collaboration,” Chen said in a news release.
In October 2024, Chen visited the United Kingdom to attend the International Institute for Strategic Studies’ Cyber Power Workshop and for talks with defense and cybersecurity officials, and industry representatives.
Sarah Chan is a FORUM contributor reporting from Singapore.
