Most of the leaked data is suspected of coming from applications owned by the government or state institutions, although no one has publicly acknowledged it. Nevertheless, it showed the weakness of the current cybersecurity system. The country’s cyber security and related fields are at stake if we don’t address it adequately.

But the year 2022 must also be remembered as the year of the birth of the Personal Data Protection Law, which aimed to increase cyber security in the country and protect the public from misuse of personal data. However, there is still much that needs to be improved. So what challenges are in store for the government should focus on?

The Urgency of Cyber Security

The National Cyber Security Index (NCSI) reported that Indonesia’s cybersecurity index score was 38.96 points out of 100 in 2022. This figure placed Indonesia in the 3rd lowest rank among the G20 countries. The NCSI is a global index that measures countries’ preparedness to prevent cyber threats and manage cyber incidents. It is a database with publicly available evidence materials that can serve as a national cyber security capacity-building tool.

Indonesia scores below the global average on eight NCSI cybersecurity capacities: policy, threat, education, global contribution, digital services, essential services, personal data, and crisis management.

According to IBM’s 2022 Threat Intelligence Index, ransomware accounted for 21% of total attacks in 2021. Interpol ranks Indonesia first in Southeast Asia with 1.3 million ransomware cases. In 2022, the National Cyber and Crypto Agency (BSSN) noted that Indonesia’s potential economic losses due to cyber-attacks would reach IDR 14.2 trillion. This is a massive challenge for cyber security in various sectors, especially the banking and financial industries.

If not anticipated, incidents of data leakage due to hacking can continue to recur in institutions and other government agencies in Indonesia. One of the main reasons is that there is not much political will to build cyber foundations. This initiative must come from the state, such as laws and cooperation between institutions and countries.

In the context of the needed additional budget, Internet defense might not be a popular or a pressing topic for Indonesian politicians. Therefore, although the Personal Data Protection Law has been passed, its implementation is yet to be seen.

Cyber-Intelligence

Intelligence and cyber security are two unseparated sides of a coin. Criminal operations have invaded cyberspace, and its base resides in cyberspace; thus, cyber security to combat it also incorporates cyber intelligence operations. It is not a rare sight when cybercrime perpetrators nowadays employ the newest technology in their attacks against sovereign governments, businesses, or individuals.

Cybercrime knows no national boundaries and causes tangible and intangible damage worldwide. Cybercrime is progressing at a swift pace, with new trends constantly emerging. This is where cyber intelligence plays a significant role in maintaining cyber security that recognizes no borders.

The government and officers in charge need to be technology trends-savvy and their impact on crime models so that cyber crimes can be anticipated as early as possible. Intelligence provides the ability to know, anticipate or prevent, and plan a design carefully. Through intelligence, policymakers are expected to be able to make a successful policy based on the newest information obtained.

The task of intelligence will become easier with technological advances. Still, it will also become more difficult because of the emergence of crimes in new ways and variations due to globalization. However, intelligence has a strategic position to prevent these crimes from happening.

Criminal groups will have more freedom and scope of action in an era that prioritizes openness. The losses incurred by cyber warfare are not much different from conventional wars. Undoubtedly, states need to implement double security for their sensitive documents.

In today’s modern warfare, it is crucial to have reliable cyber intelligence capabilities. Moreover, it comes in handy in collecting data from various sources, where sometimes it isn’t easy to obtain if we only rely on the traditional method.

Cyber intelligence is used to collect and analyze information to detect, track, and predict cyber capabilities, motives, and activities to make final decisions. The cyber intelligence process involves people, technology, and information. In contrast, traditional intelligence does not always involve technology components in its operations.

Counterintelligence

Cyber-counterintelligence is a counterintelligence activity focusing on countering opponent intelligence activities using electronic communication media. The definition of cyber counterintelligence activities following Law no. 17 of 2011: “A series of activities carried out in a planned and directed manner to prevent and/or counter efforts, work, intelligence activities of opposing parties that utilize or use electronic communication media and harm national interests and security.” Counterintelligence efforts are carried out actively and passively, offensively and defensively.

Security of state information is a complex matter and requires integrated handling. The first thing that needs to be done is to set up an encrypted information line, which has been done through the National Crypto Agency. Without these encrypted lines of communication, counterintelligence efforts will be in vain because the exchange of information is easy to intercept and be read at every point in its path.

More often, the cost of conducting counterintelligence operations is enormous. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze whether the cost of carrying out the process is worth the losses incurred if the procedure is not carried out. Indonesia needs to align its cyber counterintelligence operations strategy with its defense and economic strategy, especially regarding the international world. We can better determine which information to be protected and which potential enemies would intercept it so that “investment” for the operations can be made effectively and efficiently.

In addition, the strategic framework created also needs to be translated into cyber counterintelligence policies and procedures in Indonesia. Currently, there is no adequate regulation related to counterintelligence, especially in the cyber field. Therefore, cyber counterintelligence operations need to be carried out in a planned and directed manner by ensuring the creation of good synergies between regulations, human experts, and technology.

Systematic Strengthening

Indonesia needs to have a Cybersecurity Law so that Indonesia has adequate cybersecurity, starting, for example, to improve its poor cybersecurity index score. Furthermore, upon witnessing the data or information leakage phenomenon, the government must quickly make efforts to strengthen the state’s cyber and security systems.

There are several efforts we can make to improve the situation. First is the coordination between agencies related to data security and electronic systems. The data security system for state institutions is relatively weak. The reason being is the data security system between various institutions is different. Each institution has its security system.

Next, to strengthen the institution’s internal security system in terms of human resources and electronic systems. It is also necessary to enhance each state agency’s cyber system’s oversight, regulatory, and control functions.

We must also not forget one of the crucial things: the budget factor. It needs to be increased so that they become a support system as a whole. Pay closer attention to advanced countries’ national budgets in recent years; their cyber defense budget has become more prominent and focused each year.

Last but not least, the Indonesian government needs an institution with authority to formulate national security policies and strategies. Its primary function is to ensure the formulation’s integration and oversee national policy related to domestic security.***