CREST Singapore Chapter Established to Introduce Penetration Testing Certifications and Accreditations in Singapore

From left to right: Mr Lim Soon Chia, Director(Technology) of CSA and Co-chair of CREST Singapore Working Committee; Dr Steven Wong, President of Association of Information Security Professionals and Co-chair of CREST Singapore Working Committee; Professor Loh Han Tong, Deputy President (Academic) and Provost of Singapore Institute of Technology; Mr David Koh, Chief Executive of CSA; Mr Ian Glover, President of CREST International; Mr Alex Lim, Vice President of Association of Information Security Professionals and Mr Teo Chin Hock, Deputy Chief Executive of CSA at the CREST Singapore Industry event which marks the official opening of the CREST Examination Facility at SIT.

CREST examination facility officially opened at the Singapore Institute of Technology

In partnership with the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) and the Association of Information Security Professionals (AISP), CREST has established a Singapore Chapter to introduce its penetration testing certifications and accreditations to Singapore. This initiative was developed in collaboration with the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS) and the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA). The CREST Singapore Chapter is the first CREST Chapter in Asia.  Marking this milestone is the official opening of the CREST Examination Facility at the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) today. The facility was opened by Mr David Koh, Chief Executive, CSA.

CREST professional certifications and service provider accreditations will provide buyers of penetration testing services in Singapore with the confidence that the work is being carried out by qualified individuals with up to date knowledge, skills and competence, supported by a professional services company with appropriate policies, processes and procedures.  Following the introduction of CREST penetration testing certifications and accreditations in Singapore, there are plans to introduce more CREST certifications and accreditations in areas including Incident Response, Malware Analysis and wider Information Security Architecture. Professionals, who are Singapore Citizens and would like to pursue CREST certifications, can apply for Government subsidies to cover a proportion of the costs. Small service providers can apply for Government funding to cover a proportion of the costs to be CREST member companies.

"CSA’s focus is to make Singapore’s cyberspace safe for businesses, individuals and the society at large. To do this, we need strong partnerships with multiple stakeholders across the cybersecurity ecosystem. This partnership between CSA, CREST and AISP will raise the professionalism of our penetration testers and help to enhance the security of Singapore’s cyberspace. Penetration testing is important to assess our level of cyber security and is an essential service for both large enterprises and SMEs, given the increasing frequency and sophistication of cyber threats. By raising the competency standards of our cyber security professionals, like penetration testers, we will make Singapore’s cyberspace more secure for everyone."

Mr David Koh
Chief Executive, Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA)

"CREST is delighted to make its penetration testing certifications available through the Chapter in Singapore. CREST certifications have already become the de facto standard in the UK and Australia and through the provision of CREST-accredited companies and CREST-certified professionals, we are now able to deliver increased levels of confidence to the buying community in Singapore. CREST works hard to professionalise the cyber security testing sector internationally and the local chapter in Singapore will make it possible to achieve consistently high standards across the region."

Ian Glover
President of CREST International

"To strengthen the cybersecurity ecosystem in Singapore, it is essential for the public, private and education sectors to work closely together. Thus, AISP is delighted to be able to collaborate with CSA, CREST, and SIT to establish the first CREST-accredited examination facility in Asia.

Through the practical examinations carried out in this facility, professionals are now able to validate not just their cybersecurity knowledge, but also their hands-on cybersecurity skills, against a well-recognised global industry benchmark such as the certifications offered by CREST."

Associate Professor Steven Wong
President of AISP

"The demand from both public and private sectors for more Information Security professionals to monitor and protect organisations from cyber threats has never been greater. Most organisations today are heavily dependent on Information and Communications Technology to support their daily operations. From a cybersecurity standpoint, today’s big data and the internet connectivity of things translate into higher risks of sensitive information being open to attacks, where it is absolutely essential that these key information systems are adequately protected. I am confident that SIT’s collaborative efforts with CREST, CSA and AISP will provide the spark for a paradigm shift in innovative ways of keeping Singapore’s cybersecurity ecosystem safe and sound."

Professor Loh Han Tong
Deputy President (Academic) & Provost, Singapore Institute of Technology

"High quality, credible cyber security training is already a huge issue for many firms worldwide given the risks we are all facing.

I am delighted that CREST, with its tremendous amount of experience and recognition in the industry for the work its does professionalising the UK cyber security industry, is partnering with Cyber Security Agency of Singapore and the Association of Information Security Professionals to do the same for cyber security professionals in Singapore and the wider region."

Conrad Prince
The UK Government’s Cyber Security Ambassador

About the Association of Information Security Professionals

The Association of Information Security Professionals (AISP) is a Government and Industry collaboration which aims to transform Infocomm Security into a distinguished profession and build a critical pool of competent Infocomm security professionals who subscribe to the highest professional standards. The AISP was registered with the assistance of the Singapore Computer Society (SCS) and the strong support of the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) in February 2008.  It was officially launched on 17 April 2008 by Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, the then Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports.

About CREST

CREST is the not-for-profit accreditation body representing the technical information security industry. CREST provides internationally recognised accreditation for organisations and individuals providing penetration testing, cyber incident response and threat intelligence services. All CREST Member Companies undergo regular and stringent assessment; while CREST qualified individuals have to pass rigorous examinations to demonstrate knowledge, skill and competence. CREST is governed by an elected Executive of experienced security professionals who also promote and develop awareness, ethics and standards within the cyber security market.

About the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore

The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) provides dedicated and centralised oversight of national cyber security functions, and works with sector leads to protect Singapore’s critical services. It also engages with various industries, and stakeholders to heighten cyber security awareness as well as to ensure the holistic development of Singapore’s cyber security landscape. The Agency reports to the Prime Minister’s Office and is managed by the Ministry of Communications and Information. Information on CSA is available at www.csa.gov.sg.

About the Singapore Institute of Technology

The Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) is Singapore’s new autonomous university of applied learning. It aims to be a leader in innovative university education by integrating learning, industry and community. SIT offers applied degree programmes targeted at growth sectors of the economy. As a new university, SIT offers its own applied degree programmes with a unique pedagogy that integrates work and study. It also offers specialised degree programmes in partnership with world-class universities. SIT also aims to cultivate in its students four distinctive traits, or the SIT-DNA, which will prepare them to be ‘thinking tinkerers’, who are ‘able to learn, unlearn and relearn’, be ‘catalysts for transformation’ and finally, become ‘grounded in the community’.