Cyber Games 2025 in KL aligns with Malaysia's plan to combat cybercrime, strengthen cybersecurity policies in Asean

The hosting of the inaugural Cyber Games 2025 in Kuala Lumpur reinforces Malaysia’s agenda, as Asean chair, to bolster the region’s cyber ecosystem and promote trust in digital environments across member states.

Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said the event also aligns with Malaysia’s strategic approach to combat cybercrime and strengthen cybersecurity policies.

“This includes our ongoing efforts to implement robust measures and legal frameworks to safeguard our digital infrastructure and enhance regional and international cooperation in tackling cyber threats.

“This is evident through the Cabinet’s recent approval for accession to the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, as well as our commitment to signing the forthcoming United Nations Convention against Cybercrime,” said Gobind in his speech at the launch of the Cyber Games 2025 in Kuala Lumpur.

Gobind’s speech was read out by the ministry’s secretary-general Fabian Bigar.

“In parallel, we are currently drafting a new Cybercrime Bill that will further modernise and fortify our legal frameworks, which we expect to table in Parliament by the end of this year,” he added.

The ministry said through the event, Malaysia aims to advance both domestic and regional goals – namely strengthening Asean’s cybersecurity posture, enhancing cross-border investigative cooperation, promoting interoperability of digital forensic tools, and encouraging timely information sharing through mechanisms such as the 24/7 Network of Contact Points, data preservation protocols, and joint investigations.

“As cybercrime continues to evolve, ransomware attacks, data breaches, and cyber-enabled frauds are escalating in frequency and complexity,” he added.

According to CyberSecurity Malaysia, ransomware cases in the country surged by 78 per cent in Q4 of 2024 compared to the previous quarter.

The Cyber Games will see participants solve sophisticated quizzes to help them formulate knowledge and skills through trial and error, as in real-life problem-solving processes.

The Council of Europe, Interpol, the National Cyber Security Agency of Malaysia, and other partners will contribute to the design and development of the scenarios by engaging with professional communities.

In addition, the 7th Interpol Digital Security Challenge (DSC) will be organised as a sub-component of the first edition of the Cyber Games.