Hackers lurk within telecommunications systems, stealing data silently
Professor Anthony Tung was featured in a Channel 8 News explainer segment on advanced persistent threats (APT), following reports of a hacking group targeting Singapore’s telecommunications systems.
Professor Tung explained how APT actors differ from conventional cyberattacks:
"If conventional cyberattacks are like bandits who break in and leave after taking what they can, an APT is more like an undercover agent. Its goal isn't immediate theft, but intelligence-gathering – quietly collecting sensitive data and remaining embedded for as long as possible, gaining progressively deeper access within the system."
He noted that telecommunications networks function as a central connective infrastructure, with banking systems, transport networks, and AI-enabled services all dependent on communications connectivity.
"Telecommunications networks are a central system – information flows through them. If they are compromised, it affects efficiency and potentially critical services."
Prof Tung also highlighted Singapore’s role as a regional aviation and maritime hub, underscoring why such infrastructure may be attractive targets. He emphasised the importance of maintaining resilient systems that are monitorable, isolatable, and recoverable – ensuring incidents can be contained, restored, and strengthened against future threats.