Cybersecurity Must Evolve as AI Accelerates Threat Speed and Complexity, Says TM CISO

CYBERJAYA, Aug 29 — In the nearly 30 years since Malaysia began building its national cyber emergency response capabilities through MyCERT, the speed and scope of cyber threats have dramatically transformed, further accelerated by artificial intelligence (AI), according to Telekom Malaysia (TM) Chief Information Security Officer Raja Azrina Raja Othman.

Raja Azrina, who co-founded MyCERT in 1997, noted that cyber threats three decades ago were largely confined to isolated networks. Today, with banking, corporate operations, public services, and critical infrastructure deeply interconnected, a cyberattack carries consequences far beyond system downtime—compromising finances, customer data, and public trust.

Speaking during a special interview in conjunction with TM’s 80th-anniversary celebrations officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Raja Azrina highlighted how AI is enabling threat actors to identify vulnerabilities and launch automated attacks at unprecedented speeds.

“With AI, cyber attackers can more easily identify vulnerabilities, craft more convincing phishing campaigns and launch attacks at a much faster pace. Cyber attackers today operate rapidly with the aid of AI. Therefore, cyber defence strategies can no longer rely solely on manual processes,” she said.

Raja Azrina cautioned that some organizations still treat cybersecurity as an optional measure rather than an essential component of risk management and business continuity. She stressed that responsibility must begin with corporate leadership and be integrated into governance frameworks using a risk-based investment approach.

She added that because complete prevention cannot be guaranteed, true organizational preparedness depends on detecting threats early, responding swiftly, and remediating issues without causing prolonged operational disruption.

To support government and industry sectors against these complex challenges, TM developed the TM Cyber Defence Centre (TM CYDEC). Utilizing a “Cyber Fusion” approach alongside an AI security framework, TM CYDEC enables layered, real-time monitoring across network, infrastructure, and application levels to ensure organizations can innovate securely.

–NMT