KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 17 — The Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) identified four possible attempts to hack into the national defence communication network recently.

ATM Cyber and Electromagnetic Defence director-general Rear Admiral Datuk Shamsuddin Ludin said investigations showed phishing done by a group or individual was to hack and test the integrity of cyber defence technology while testing their skills in using current malware technology.

"These hackers may want to try out technology that is already in the market. It is also possible that there are (sinister) sponsors so that they can sell protection software or firewalls,” he said after attending a Satellite Awareness Day at the ATM Haigate Complex here today.

Shamsuddin said that although so far ATM has not identified the real objective of the hacking attempts, action to improve the country’s cyber defence system has already been implemented.

According to him, hackers used phishing e-mails in random attacks on the official e-mail network used by several agencies in the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces recently.

Shamsuddin said the use of phishing e-mails could strike at any organisation, but ATM is always alert to deal with the threat of infiltration, including strengthening its firewall.

"We take pre-active action, not a reaction to something that happens, our action is ongoing during times of peace, crisis and war...this issue is not a surprise, so there is no question when it unfolds that we are in confusion, the action plan is always securely there,” he said.

On Jan 13, ATM Commander Gen Tan Sri Affendi Buang confirmed that the entire ATM communication network which was exposed to internet access had remained secure and that hacking activities were detected early.

Recently, a new hacker group identified as ‘Dark Pink’ reportedly used phishing emails and advanced malware to infiltrate military defence systems in the Philippines and Malaysia, as well as government organisations in Cambodia, Indonesia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Earlier, Shamsuddin attended the Satellite Awareness Day which was officiated by the Armed Forces (ATM) Chief of Staff Lt Gen Datuk Arman Rumaizi Ahmad.

The two-day programme that ends tomorrow is held to give exposure to the importance of satellite applications to aspects of national defence and security in line with the current increasingly complex threats of technology.

It was attended by 23 government agencies and private companies, 15 local universities and schools and Armed Forces personnel. — Bernama