Welcome Address by Minister Josephine Teo at the Singapore International Cyber Week Summit

Fellow Ministers, excellencies, distinguished guests,

Colleagues and friends

Introduction

1. Welcome to the Singapore International Cyber Week 2025.

2. This is the 10th edition of SICW. We are very happy to host 13,000 cybersecurity leaders and professionals, from more than 90 countries. To all our overseas guests, an especially warm welcome to you.

A more contested cyberspace

3. Our meeting is taking place in sobering times.

4. The rules-based international order is under stress and being challenged on multiple fronts. Cyberspace is increasingly fractious.

   1. State-sponsored threat actors have intensified their actions, attacking critical infrastructure such as defence, telcos, and technology organisations across many countries.

   2. Cyber criminals have also become increasingly emboldened. Over the past months, organisations ranging from airports to supermarket chains, automobile manufacturers and even beer factories, have been the victims of ransomware attacks.

   3. Ransom demands have also escalated, and millions paid.

5. Singapore has also not been spared.

   1. Our critical infrastructure has come under attack from state-sponsored advanced persistent threat actors.

   2. Almost eight-in-ten organisations have experienced a cyber-attack; most of these by cyber criminals.

6. These developments can potentially threaten our national security and our digital way of life.

7. If not handled well, they also have the potential to undermine the progress we have made towards establishing a rules-based international cyber order.

Progress in Global Cyber Cooperation

8. When storm clouds gather, we must still look for silver linings.

9. Over the past decade, we have made progress in strengthening trust and international cooperation.

   1. At the global level, the UN Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) has completed a multi-year process and achieved consensus on setting up a permanent mechanism to continue sustained discussions on responsible state behaviour in cyberspace.

   2. Likeminded governments have also come together, via initiatives like the Counter Ransomware Initiative (CRI), to share best practices, build common frameworks, and collaborate to tackle cyber threats.

   3. Within the region, we continue to support each other in uplifting cyber capability. The ASEAN-Singapore Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence (ASCCE) has delivered over 30 programmes for more than 900 senior officials.

10. Industry has also stepped up. For example, as part of the Global Signals Exchange, Google, Meta and Microsoft have partnered with other private and public sector organisations to share threat signals in real time. This represents a significant step towards enhancing global cooperation in the fight against online scams and fraud.

11. But there is more that we could and should have done.

    1. To-date, the UN’s 11 norms of responsible state behaviour in cyberspace, have not been adopted globally.

    2. ASEAN is the only region to have done so.

    3. We hope that others in the global community will take concrete steps towards adopting these norms.

Impetus to Act

12. There are good reasons to act.

13. Against the escalating threat landscape, the absence of decisive collective action put our citizens at greater risk. Domestically, governments will need political will and focussed attention on strengthening capabilities in cybersecurity. Internationally, like-minded partners must collaborate to be effective against common adversaries like cybercriminals and APTs.

14. The private sector is critical to these efforts. Tech companies own and control significant parts of the digital backbone that the world now depends on, and hold vast amount of data. Each of you must act responsibly, be accountable for the security of your systems, and partner with Governments to meet the challenges in the cyber domain.

Conclusion

15. On a lighter note as we begin our dinner, today is Deepavali. It is not just a public holiday in Singapore but one of the most important festivals for the Hindu community here. Deepavali celebrates the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. These are the very same hopes we have for cyberspace.

16. Through tonight’s Summit and the rest of the week, I hope that you will have fruitful discussions, strengthened partnerships and renewed commitment to addressing the challenges in cyberspace.

17. I am personally looking forward to the fireside chat hosted by Chief Executive, David Koh, with Lieutenant General Michelle McGuiness later and would also like to take this opportunity to thank her for agreeing to be a part of it.

18. Happy Deepavali and wishing everyone a good week ahead!