Latest news with #CyberGames2025
The 961
10-06-2025
- Sport
- The 961
Lebanon Just Won A Global Hacking Competition
At the first-ever Cyber Games 2025 in Malaysia, a Lebanese-led team absolutely crushed the competition, scoring 1st place out of 50 countries. Yes, you read that right. Lebanon came first, beating out cybersecurity talent from across the world. The winning team, Team Blue, was led by Assem Awad, a Lebanese cybersecurity expert who guided his team through four intense days of hacking challenges, digital investigations, and cybercrime simulations. Lebanon has come close before when we placed second at GISEC, but this is the first time ever we took home the gold. And it's a huge win for Lebanese talent on a global stage. Over 140 participants, from 50 different countries, were brought together to fight simulated cybercrime in Kuala Lumpur. Over the course of four days, they tackled real-world cyber challenges – things like: Tracing cryptocurrency used in crimes Digging into ransomware attacks Analyzing digital evidence Identifying attackers using open-source tools Basically, it was like a global cyber detective movie. And Team Lebanon was the lead. Here are the winners: 1st Place: Team Blue (Lebanon) Team Blue (Lebanon) 2nd Place: Team TSIX (Ukraine) Team TSIX (Ukraine) 3rd Place: Team FFFFFFirewalls (Bosnia & Herzegovina) This win puts Lebanon on the map in a space we're not often recognized for – cyber. It proves we've got some serious brainpower ready to take on real global challenges.
The Star
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
‘Need for global action to counter cyber threat spike'
KUALA LUMPUR: A 78% spike in ransomware attacks in Malaysia in the final quarter of 2024 has raised concerns over the urgent need for coordinated global action to counter increasingly sophisticated and borderless cyber threats, says Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo (pic). 'Ransomware attacks, data breaches and cyber-enabled frauds are escalating in frequency and complexity,' he said at the opening of the inaugural Cyber Games 2025 here yesterday. 'The Cyber Games 2025 is a direct response to this need.' Gobind's speech was read out by the ministry's secretary-general, Fabian Bigar. Hosted by Malaysia in collaboration with the Council of Europe, Interpol and the National Cyber Security Agency, the event has drawn 120 participants from 40 countries, including the United Kingdom, Switzerland, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Qatar, Morocco, Ukraine, Turkiye, Chile, Brazil, Armenia, Albania, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Singapore. The four-day event marks the first-ever edition of the Cyber Games, a global platform designed to enhance international capacity, foster engagement and strengthen digital forensic capabilities among cybersecurity professionals, Bernama reported. Gobind said the initiative unites law enforcement professionals, investigators and digital forensic specialists in confronting simulated, high-pressure cyber attack scenarios, intending to improve global preparedness. Participants will undergo real-time exercises covering digital forensics, blockchain analysis, open-source intelligence, malware analysis and incident response, all aimed at boosting resilience in the face of rising cybercrime threats. The minister also noted that the Cyber Games coincided with Malaysia's chairmanship of Asean in 2025, during which the country made cybersecurity a top regional priority. 'As the Chair of Asean in 2025, we have placed cybersecurity and cybercrime at the forefront of our regional agenda. We are committed to driving policies and initiatives that bolster the Asean cyber ecosystem and promote trust in digital environments across member states,' he said. Gobind also reaffirmed Malaysia's commitment to strengthening legal frameworks, citing recent Cabinet approval for the nation's accession to the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime and the drafting of a new Cybercrime Bill expected to be tabled in Parliament by year-end.
Barnama
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Barnama
Pegawai Majlis Eropah Puji Reformasi Keselamatan Siber Malaysia
Head of the Cybercrime Division of the Council of Europe, Alexander Seger, speaks at the opening ceremony of Cyber Games 2025 today.
The Sun
20-05-2025
- The Sun
Phishing and online scams dominate global cybercrime landscape
KUALA LUMPUR: Online scams and phishing remain the most prevalent global cyber threats, with criminals leveraging increasingly sophisticated tactics to deceive victims, said INTERPOL's Cybercrime Directorate Dr Neal Jetton. He said most cybercrimes observed across Asia and globally stem from social engineering attacks, such as phishing, ransomware and business email compromise scams. 'Phishing-related scams are likely the most widespread cyber threat today, not just in Malaysia or the Asia Pacific, but globally. 'These often involve emails or messages that appear legitimate, whether for romantic, business, or financial opportunities,' he said at a press conference after the opening of the inaugural Cyber Games 2025 today. Jetton, who is based in Singapore, stressed that cybercrime is both a regional and global challenge, noting that approximately 75 to 80 percent of cyber incidents worldwide involve a human element, most commonly through phishing. Phishing is a form of cyberattack in which criminals impersonate trusted sources via emails or messages to deceive individuals into disclosing sensitive information, such as passwords, financial credentials, or personal data. The urgency of the issue is evident in Malaysia's statistics, with ransomware incidents rising by a staggering 78 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024, reflecting the increasing complexity and scale of cyber threats locally. When asked about Malaysia's capacity to tackle such threats, Jetton commended the Royal Malaysian Police for their dedication and proactive efforts in combating cybercrime. 'I've had several interactions with Malaysian police, and I can speak very positively about their efforts. Cybercrime in general is just very difficult,' he said. He added that INTERPOL continues to work closely with Malaysia and expressed hope that this collaboration will further strengthen in future efforts to combat cybercrime. Jetton highlighted artificial intelligence (AI) and encrypted technologies as key areas of concern, noting that law enforcement agencies often face challenges in keeping up with the fast-evolving tools employed by cybercriminals. 'My team focuses a lot on how we can keep up with these technologies, though we're not necessarily the subject matter experts in AI to help us respond effectively,' he said.
Malaysiakini
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Malaysiakini
Council of Europe official lauds M'sian cybersecurity reform
Malaysia's commitment and transparency in tackling cybercrime have drawn praise from the head of the Cybercrime Division of the Council of Europe, Alexander Seger, who believes the country is more prepared than it gives itself credit for. Speaking to Bernama at the Cyber Games 2025 hosted in Kuala Lumpur, he commended Malaysia's proactive stance in strengthening its cybersecurity framework through legal reforms, including the adoption of the Cyber Security Act and ongoing public consultations on the Cybercrime Bill. 'What I have seen in recent years is...
