Eugene Kaspersky, CEO and cofounder of Kaspersky Lab, a leading developer of secure content management solutions, launched the Kaspersky Academy education programme at the Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) campus in Shah Alam during his first official visit to Malaysia.
The purpose of the visit was to encourage closer ties between Malaysia and Kaspersky Lab and to facilitate the exchange and sharing of cybersecurity knowledge. He also opened the first dedicated Kaspersky Research Centre in Malaysia dedicated to cybersecurity research and development among tertiary students.
He encouraged more Malaysians to participate in the programmes offered through the Kaspersky Academy as a starting point to careers in the secure content management solutions industry. With the number of cyber threats on the rise, there is a need for a wider pool of programmers from more varied cultural backgrounds.
&ldquoCybercriminals often exhibit culturallylinked patterns in their schemes, and battling them effectively sometimes requires outthinking them through the thought processes of a different culture.
&ldquoMalaysian culture and Malaysian thinking may provide fertile ground for information security experts. We can learn from each other,&rdquo said Kaspersky.
Vice chancellor of UiTM, Tan Sri Datuk Seri Prof Dr Ibrahim Abu Shah said the choice of UiTM as the venue for the first Kaspersky Research Centre in the nation was recognition of the strides the institution had made in shaping a student population of techsavvy, outofthebox thinkers.
&ldquoAs UiTM celebrates its 71st convocation, this recognition from Kaspersky Lab is much appreciated as it serves to highlight how far we have come as an institution of higher learning that can produce quality graduates who can rival the best in the world,&rdquo he said.
In conjunction with the launch, the Russian cybersecurity guru Kaspersky delivered a presidential lecture on Taking Responsibility for the Internet. In his lecture, Kaspersky outlined the alarming nature of online threats, with malware now squarely aimed at making money rather than mischief.
As online crime has become a multimilliondollar industry, all the parties involved have come to accept the risks rather than exposing the full extent of the problem and undermining consumer confidence.
&ldquoOne of the latest trends is ATM systems being infected with Trojans, giving criminals total access to money. While financial institutions are aware of this theft, they are unable to prevent it because they don&rsquot know what to do,&rdquo he explained.
He noted that gaps in legislation, the reluctance of victims to inform law enforcement agencies of these crimes, the difficulty of tracing anonymous professionals and the crossborder, international nature of cybercrime makes it particularly difficult to prosecute.
According to Kaspersky, the relative anonymity of Internet users is the key issue regarding cybercrime.
&ldquoTo design a safer eWorld we need better Internet regulations such as Internet Passports for individuals, accreditation for businesses and temporary storage of necessary requests, while there is also a need for what I term an InternetInterpol which will see more international police collaboration on cybercrime.&rdquo
KKlub now open
Kaspersky Friends and Fan Klub (KKlub), an integrated online community has been officially launched.
The virtual club is the first established by a security solutions provider.
KKlub invites members of the public to start personal blogs, create groups and participate in forums to share their thoughts TechShortsand spark public discussions on the latest trends in technology.
The highly interactive community is a uniquelydesigned playground where home and corporate users can enjoy exclusive KKlub merchandise at discounted prices, birthday gifts and exclusive invitations to KKlub events.
To sign up, head to www.kklub.net.
Malay Mail http://www.mmail.com.my/content/16256kasperskyresearchcentreopensitsdoorsuitm