Singapore exploring use of tech to autonomously disrupt websites used for scams, malicious cyber activity
The effort takes place amid an increasingly complex threat landscape, with criminals exploiting technology, like artificial intelligence, to carry out more sophisticated crimes and target more victims, says Second Minister for Home Affairs Josephine Teo.
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SINGAPORE: With the rapid proliferation of websites used for scams and other malicious cyber activities, the government is considering how to harness technology to autonomously disrupt these more rapidly, said Second Minister for Home Affairs Josephine Teo on Tuesday (Mar 4).
“We will continue to review our laws, to ensure their ability to deal with traditional crimes committed in cyberspace, and strengthen our regulatory frameworks, to better leverage technology to combat cybercrimes,” she added, while laying out the ministry’s spending plans for the year.
Mrs Teo, who is also Minister for Digital Development and Information, said in parliament that the threat landscape was increasingly complex.
“Criminals are exploiting technology, in particular, artificial intelligence (AI), to carry out more sophisticated crimes and to hit more victims,” she said.
A Scam Analytics and Tactical Intervention System (SATIS), jointly developed by GovTech and the Home Team’s science and technology agency HTX, is an existing example of how scam sites are hunted down and disrupted using AI and machine learning.
It goes beyond impersonated government websites to include bank phishing sites, sites hosting malware and those used in impersonation scams.
In a separate speech later on Tuesday, Minister of State for Home Affairs and Social and Family Development Sun Xueling revealed that SATIS would be expanded to disrupt other scam enablers such as payment channels and mobile numbers.
Mrs Teo said the Home Team has been leveraging technology in its work, particularly in using AI to combat AI-driven crime.Â
Its AI Movement was launched last year by HTX, to develop new AI capabilities across its various agencies.
HTX will hire and train 300 people for an AI workforce by the end of this year, she said. Some of its AI solutions have already been rolled out.
For instance, the Singapore Civil Defence Force's targeted on-site inspection tool uses AI to assess the likelihood of fire safety violations in commercial and industrial premises, using data such as past inspection reports.
The tool will be progressively rolled out to all frontline units for field testing in coming months, Mrs Teo said.
The Home Team is also leveraging smart and autonomous solutions to detect threats earlier, said Mrs Teo.
The Singapore Prison Service (SPS), for instance, is trialling the use of smart sensors in its medical wards and cells, to monitor inmates’ vital signs remotely.
As the SPS faces a growing pool of older inmates, the new system lets officers respond more quickly to incidents such as falls and abnormal heart rates among the inmates.
Singapore started recruiting foreign Auxiliary Police Officers (APOs) from more sources in December last year. They are from Sri Lanka, Myanmar, the Philippines, India and China and make up about three per cent of the total APO workforce. All APOs must meet physical, educational and probity requirements set by the Singapore Police Force. These include passing security screening and the APO basic course. Second Minister for Home Affairs Josephine Teo, who gave this update in parliament on Tuesday (Mar 4), said the Auxiliary Police Forces ensured that the new APOs become familiar with Singapore’s local context, cultural nuances and operating environment. She highlighted this as one way to overcome manpower challenges. Similarly, the Singapore Civil Defence Force will recruit ASEAN nationals for its Emergency Medical Services from this month. All new recruits will undergo rigorous training and accreditation. Mrs Teo pointed out that over the years, the Home Team has embarked on numerous transformation initiatives as it faces new and growing demands in an increasingly complex threat landscape. It has been taking bold steps to leverage technology, using AI against AI-driven crime. Singapore will continue to review its laws to deal with traditional crimes committed in cyberspace and strengthen its regulatory frameworks to better leverage technology to combat cybercrimes, said Mrs Teo.
FORMALISING AI GOVERNANCE
A proper governance framework for the use of AI within the Home Team has also been formalised and put in place.
It comprises principles to guide the implementation of AI projects and ensure compliance with Singapore’s laws.
"We will also put in place safeguards, including to ensure that there is an appropriate level of human intervention to act as a layer of checks and ensure accountability," she said.
Apart from technological capabilities, Home Team officers need to be trained well to utilise them, said Mrs Teo.
As part of the Home Team AI Movement, HTX is developing an AI training roadmap to let all officers use AI tools effectively.
The Singapore Police Force has also implemented a competency framework to provide officers with the skills to tackle rapidly evolving cybercrimes.
