There is, reportedly, growing concern around the increasing number of cybersecurity scams and data breaches. This has resulted in the immediate need for information in and training in how to more securely protect information.
In 2018, the Malaysia Computer Emergency Response Team (MyCERT) reported that more than 10,000 cybersecurity attacks on corporations and individuals nationwide occurred. Recent incidents including ransomware, banking account leaks and other data breaches were also reported.
By 2020, analysts estimate more than 50 billion devices will be connected globally, showing the increased importance of safeguarding the Internet space for both financial and personal safety.
As hackers and hacking technologies become increasingly sophisticated, the need for more digital security professionals is pressing. Many leading cybersecurity and tech firms have expressed concerns on global talent shortage respectively.
The Asia Pacific University (APU) has, thus, been prompted to address these concerns while demonstrating the university’s strength in providing first-class education in the area of cybersecurity.
At APU, students will be trained to become qualified cybersecurity professionals who are ready to face challenges in the digital world through a wholesome experience.
With the support of industry partners and Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), APU is responding to the talent demand, working to train and nurture “superheroes” of the digital space who will combat digital crimes and safeguard digital assets when they graduate.
An industry advisory panel consisting of experts from the cybersecurity field is involved the design of the curriculum at APU, ensuring the syllabus taught is up-to-date and relevant for students to change and improve the landscape of secure computing.
APU also houses state-of-the-art infrastructure to complement the delivery of the curriculum. In 2018, APU launched the nation’s first CyberSecurity Talent Zone, which is now home to military-grade real-time cybersecurity monitoring systems, research centres and simulation infrastructure to nurture global cybersecurity, networking and IoT talents of the future.
The state-of-the-art Cyber Threats Simulation and Response Centre (also known as Cyber Range) and Security Operations Centre (SOC) stream live monitoring data extracted from a database of cyber-attacks worldwide. This will provide students with a hands-on platform on which to practise ethical hacking and incident response.
Based on real-time data, APU students learn to monitor, troubleshoot, investigate and escalate security breach issues. These experiences nurture security professionals who are ever-ready to join the cybersecurity workforce with their practical and technical exposure.
APU has produced digital security superstars, who constantly outperform their peers at national and international level competitions. Graduates of APU’s digital security programmes are part of the global digital security workforce, as they are employed globally in renowned multinational companies.
As Malaysia’s premier digital tech university, APU has leveraged on its edge in innovative education by delivering high quality and industry-relevant programmes that are within the areas of digital security, such as the BSc (Hons) Information Technology with a specialism in Information Systems Security, BSc (Hons) Cyber Security, BSc (Hons) Forensic Computing and the BSc (Hons) Computer Science with a major in Digital Forensics.
The success stories of APU graduates are a strong testament to the university’s track record and accomplishments. APU is a pioneer in digital security education for the nation and continues to build on its strength in ensuring talent fed into the industry are equipped with the knowledge and skills that allow them to seamlessly fit into a hyper-realistic emulation cyber environment.