Mastercard and the ASEAN Foundation are joining forces to strengthen cybersecurity capabilities in the region. This partnership, named the ASEAN Foundation-Mastercard Cyber Resilience Program, focuses on three main areas: awareness, training, and capacity enhancement through technology and intelligence. The initiatives aim to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and the public sector. For SMEs, Mastercard offers the Mastercard Trust Center and the My Cyber Risk tool to identify vulnerabilities. The public sector will benefit from webinars, crisis simulation exercises, and research reports. Supported by key figures from ASEAN and Mastercard, this initiative strengthens measures against cybercrime in Southeast Asia.
mastercard and the ASEAN foundation join forces for cybersecurity
In a strategic move to strengthen cybersecurity capabilities in the region, Mastercard partners with the ASEAN Foundation as part of a large-scale program. This innovative collaboration focuses on three main pillars: improving knowledge, providing training, and enhancing infrastructures through technology and intelligence. As cyber threats become increasingly sophisticated, this partnership commits to equipping businesses and the public sector with the skills necessary to defend themselves and enhance their resilience.
a goal focused on small and medium enterprises in southeast asia
In the private sector, program initiatives mainly target small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which represent over 97% of businesses in the region and provide 85% of employment. To support these crucial structures, Mastercard has established the Mastercard Trust Center, a self-service online portal that offers free resources and tools to support SMEs’ cybersecurity. Additionally, Mastercard’s “My Cyber Risk” tool enables SMEs to identify and prioritize threats potentially harmful to their digital infrastructure.
To complement these efforts, Mastercard organizes training workshops and webinars to keep SMEs informed about emerging threats. As the region’s digital landscape evolves rapidly, partly due to a compound annual growth rate of 27% since 2021, cybersecurity remains a critical challenge. In 2023, in Singapore, approximately 52% of reported ransomware incidents affected SMEs. The initiatives aim to prepare these businesses for current and future cybersecurity challenges.
capacity building in the public sector
The alliance between Mastercard and the ASEAN Foundation also extends to the public sector. Webinars specifically designed for ASEAN governments allow professionals to gain valuable knowledge about key cybersecurity issues. In addition, crisis simulation exercises are conducted to assess the resilience of organizational technologies and processes. This aims to identify areas where cyber readiness can be improved. The development of research reports and risk assessment tools for ASEAN governments also contributes to this cause. Public-private dialogues are encouraged to combat fraud, thereby enhancing collaboration.
