MIMOS Spearheads Digital Trust Initiatives to Underpin MyDIGITAL Goals Amid Rising Cyber Threats

By Norsharimie Mat Adam, Senior Executive, Tech. Advocacy & Industries Interest Group, MIMOS Berhad

As cyber threats grow in volume and sophistication, Malaysia’s ambition to become a trusted digital nation depends on more than just policies, it needs real, engineered solutions. As the country’s national applied research and development (R&D) centre, MIMOS Berhad is leading the charge by operationalising key technologies that build Digital Trust, in line with the MyDIGITAL blueprint and Malaysia MADANI aspirations.

These efforts come as the country grapples with a significant rise in cyber threats, with data breach incidents surging by 29% in the first quarter of 2025 alone (1), with 1,657 reported cases, a clear signal that traditional safeguards are no longer sufficient in an increasingly connected ecosystem. With cyber incidents increasing by 7% to 1,657 in 1Q2025, MIMOS is engineering the foundational security and accountability frameworks to ensure the long-term viability of Malaysia’s digital transformation (1, 2). MIMOS is addressing this challenge head-on by deploying advanced frameworks in cybersecurity, ethical artificial intelligence (AI), and blockchain infrastructure, the very building blocks of a resilient, trustworthy digital economy.

Building the Nation’s Cybersecurity Foundation

At the core of MIMOS’s strategy is the development of homegrown security technologies that protect national data assets and ensure Malaysia’s digital transformation remains credible and safe. The agency has deployed Mi-Crypto, a proprietary cryptographic module utilising 256-bit AES encryption, for high-profile data exchange within public safety and security agencies. This is complemented by Mi-SCADA, a security platform designed to provide end-to-end protection for industrial control systems in essential sectors such as energy, water, and telecommunications.

These security measures are integral to the national digital identity system, MyDigital ID, which was developed under MIMOS’s leadership following an RM80 million fast-track allocation in November 2023 (3). The system, which employs internationally certified cryptographic security, has seen a rapid increase in public adoption, with registrations growing from 1.8 million in 1Q2025 to 2.8 million by the second quarter (5, 6).

The robustness of this security framework was recently validated when MIMOS Technology Solutions Sdn Bhd’s Independent Verification & Validation (IV&V) laboratory received SAMM accreditation under ISO/IEC 17025 standards, positioning it as a neutral test house for all MADANI government digital systems (7).

Frameworks for Ethical AI and Blockchain Integration, Operationalising Principles for Trust

Addressing public apprehension surrounding AI, MIMOS has been instrumental in developing Malaysia’s National Guidelines on AI Governance and Ethics, which were launched in September 2024. These guidelines set standards in AI governance and blockchain integration, ensuring that emerging technologies are used ethically, transparently, and securely. The agency is now focused on the technical implementation of these principles, including work on explainable AI algorithms and culturally contextualised foundational models, under a tripartite partnership with HAVELSAN (Türkiye) and TechInsight Sdn Bhd (8). This initiative aims to mitigate cultural biases and ensure data sovereignty.

In blockchain, the launch of the Malaysia Blockchain Infrastructure (MBI) on 29 April 2025 marked a major milestone, a core component of the National Blockchain Roadmap (9, 10). Developed in partnership with MyEG and powered by Zetrix technology, the MBI serves as a ‘root-of-trust-as-a-service’ by unifying disparate blockchain platforms, enabling secure, interoperable digital credentialing across government and commercial services.

The integration of MBI with MyDigital ID is expected to enhance verifiability and support cross-border digital services, further positioning Malaysia as a digital trust leader in ASEAN. As of mid-2025, the National Blockchain Roadmap has achieved 60% of its implementation targets (11).

Closing the Cyber Talent Gap

Technology alone is not enough, Malaysia also needs human capital to build and secure its digital future. With a projected shortfall of nearly 9,000 cybersecurity professionals by end-2025, MIMOS has taken proactive steps to address the talent pipeline (15) (16) (17).

Through strategic partnerships with six local universities, MIMOS is embedding real-world research and training into the academic ecosystem. Its accredited labs also provide hands-on training grounds for cybersecurity graduates and mid-career professionals. These initiatives were spotlighted during the Cyber Defence and Security Exhibition and Conference (CYDES) 2025 (12), reinforcing the agency’s role in workforce development.

What’s Next? Future-Proofing with Post-Quantum Security

Looking ahead, MIMOS is focused on future-proofing the nation’s digital infrastructure by piloting post-quantum cryptography modules for MyDigital ID and scaling the MBI network nationwide. These efforts are aligned with the newly launched Malaysia Cyber Security Strategy (MCSS) 2025-2030, and aim to secure the country’s systems against next-generation quantum threats.

As Malaysia assumes the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025 (12) (14), these efforts are not just national imperatives, they represent the country’s commitment to becoming a regional beacon of digital trust.

MIMOS Spearheads Digital Trust Initiatives to Underpin MyDIGITAL Goals Amid Rising Cyber Threats

References

Next PostMIMOS, Architects of Malaysia’s Technological Soul Shaping the Nation’s Future One Breakthrough at a Time

MIMOS Spearheads Digital Trust Initiatives to Underpin MyDIGITAL Goals Amid Rising Cyber Threats

References

Next PostMIMOS, Architects of Malaysia’s Technological Soul Shaping the Nation’s Future One Breakthrough at a Time

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