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During the MotoGP 2023 at the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit, commonly known as the Mandalika Circuit, Indonesia made preparations to ensure a better and more comprehensive event. These preparations encompassed various aspects, ranging from the development and enhancement of the circuit area supporting infrastructure to other facilities crucial for this international-scale event’s success.
One of the primary concerns was readiness to counter cyber threats. With the growing influence of technology and increased dependence on digital systems, they were ensuring the security of an event became a matter of utmost importance. Cyber threats can manifest in various forms, from website hacking attempts to personal data theft.
Therefore, efforts were undertaken to secure all aspects of the MotoGP, including identification, protection, detection and response, and recovery measures.
“In this international event, we deployed personnel from various directorates within BSSN, all of whom are part of the cybersecurity and cryptography security task force. We coordinated with the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), National Police (Polri), government ministries, institutions, and relevant stakeholders,” explained Dominggus Pakel, Deputy of Cybersecurity and Cryptography Security Operations at BSSN.
The Mandalika Circuit itself underwent a comprehensive cybersecurity improvement process. Technical measures were taken to identify potential vulnerabilities in the circuit’s digital infrastructure and mitigate those risks. These included active monitoring of network activities, early detection of cyberattacks, and safeguarding sensitive data used in event management.
Collaboration with authorities, cybersecurity institutions, and cybersecurity expert companies was also heightened. This involved developing emergency response plans that could be executed in case of significant cyber incidents. With this approach, efforts were made to secure critical data related to the management of the MotoGP event and the personal data that might be required in the registration and ticketing processes.
Educational efforts were also extended to employees and staff involved in the organisation of the MotoGP. They received training on how to recognise potential cyber threats, how to respond to them, and the preventive actions to take. Awareness of the importance of cybersecurity and the role of each individual in maintaining it became a primary focus.
“By involving local elements such as the Lombok Tengah Communications and Informatics Agency in the form of joint security, we conducted network traffic activity monitoring and issue monitoring on social media before and during the MotoGP event,” he added.
Furthermore, BSSN adopted a structured and systematic incident handling scheme encompassing cybersecurity, information control, and cryptography security. Within these elements are regulations for disseminating incident indication information, incident handling scenarios, and document templates that the task force team and key stakeholders can use.
“The steps we have taken are aimed at ensuring the smooth and comfortable execution of MotoGP 2023,” he clarified. These efforts reflect the commitment to delivering the event at the Mandalika Circuit.
Moreover, he noted that the personnel deployed to secure the MotoGP have valuable experience managing large-scale events. They possess expertise in ensuring the MotoGP and have also succeeded in securing previous events, such as the AIS Forum Summit, G20 Summit in Bali, ASEAN Summit in Labuan Bajo, and ASEAN Summit in Jakarta.