ASEAN – Singapore Cybersecurity Centre for Excellence (ASCCE)

Summary

The ASEAN-Singapore Cybersecurity Centre for Excellence (ASCCE) is an extension of ASEAN Cyber Capacity Programme (ACCP) that seeks to conduct research, conduct virtual cyber defence exercises and provide CERT-related technical trainings as well as focusing on other areas such as international law, cyber strategy, legislation, cyber norms among other cybersecurity policy issues.

The aim of the Centre is to deepen the Region’s cyber security capabilities and enhance its ability to respond to emerging global cyber threats. Furthermore, it expands on the existing Cyber Capacity Programme of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The new structure, beside counter cyber-attacks, trains Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) in the region, and promotes Cert-to-Cert open-source information sharing.

The ASCCE undertakes a modular, multi-disciplinary and multi-stakeholder approach to deliver these programmes. With a five year funding commitment of $30 million from Singapore, the ASCCE engages top cyber experts and trainers, and collaborates with ASEAN Member States, ASEAN Dialogue Partners and other international partners including Australia, Canada, the European Union, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, United Kingdom and United States, in designing and delivering cybersecurity capacity building programmes.

The ASCCE’s multi-disciplinary training facility is located in Singapore’s city centre and it is operational since April 2020 while the Cyber Range Facility at Temasek Polytechnic is in full operation since October 2019.

Due to the travel restrictions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the programmes were shifted online. Twelve online programmes have been conducted since May 2020 (as of 6 October 2021).

Details

Activities

Together with ASEAN Dialogue Partners, other international partners from governments, NGOs, private sectors and academia, the ASCCE along with the ACCP have conducted more than 30 programmes to date. The latter have reached over 900 senior government officials from ASEAN and beyond. Within these, it is worth mentioning the various Cybersecurity Strategy related programmes for ASEAN Member States in partnership with ASEAN Dialogue Partners and stakeholders such as Microsoft and the Lee Kwan Yew School of Public Policy.

Furthermore, other initiatives under the ASCCE include workshops as part of the ASEAN Regional Forum Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) in supporting CERTs and the protection of ICT enabled Critical Infrastructure.

2020

• ASCCE/CENS Webinar: Cyber Norms & UN Processes Made Easy: The webinar aims to build understanding in ASEAN officials on the principles and purpose of cybersecurity norms adoption; and support the adoption of voluntary, non-binding norms of State behaviour in cyberspace recommended in UNGGE reports.

2021

• As part of the ASCCE Webinar Series, Singapore and New Zealand co-organised a webinar on Cybersecurity Awareness Raising in July 2021 to share best practices of cybersecurity awareness building campaigns as well as steps in designing a campaign suitable for end-users taking in the cultural and domestic considerations from different perspectives.

2021-2022

• The UK in supporting the ASEAN Singapore Cyber Security Centre of Excellence. The UK will deliver a training course on crisis communications for cyber security to the ASCCE in early 2022. The UK is developing a Digital Diplomacy course for the ASCCE later in 2022.