MOU with App Defense Alliance

The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) and the App Defense Alliance (ADA), led by Google, Meta, and Microsoft, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today to collaborate on efforts to strengthen the mobile app security landscape in Singapore.

2.           The MOU was signed by Mr Chua Kuan Seah, CSA’s Deputy Chief Executive, and Mr Eugene Liderman, founding member of the App Defense Alliance and Director of Android Security and Privacy Product at Google. The signing took place at the Mobile Security Roundtable held on 22 October 2022 during SICW.

3.           This MOU establishes a partnership between CSA and ADA to strengthen cooperation on mobile app security. Under this collaboration, parties will regularly share information on mobile security best practices and exchange technical knowledge on app testing methodologies. Both parties will also explore the harmonisation of global standards and cybersecurity best practices to enable mobile apps to meet established baseline security standards.

4.           With mobile apps becoming ubiquitous in our lives, many people are using them regularly for business operations and financial transactions, amongst other lifestyle needs. Mobile apps also store vast amounts of sensitive personal data and financial information. It is hence essential that given their widespread use, mobile apps should have cybersecurity provisions built in as cybercriminals are constantly looking to exploit vulnerabilities in the apps to gain access to sensitive data including banking credentials and personal data.

5.           Through shared expertise and coordinated standards development, the collaboration aims to minimise the risks of cyber incidents such as malware-enabled scams, which in turn fosters greater public confidence in the local mobile app ecosystem.

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About the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore

Established in 2015, the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) seeks to keep Singapore’s cyberspace safe and secure to underpin our Nation Security, power a Digital Economy and protect our Digital Way of Life. It maintains an oversight of national cybersecurity functions and works with sector leads to protect Singapore’s Critical Information Infrastructure. CSA also engages with various stakeholders to heighten cyber security awareness, build a vibrant cybersecurity ecosystem supported by a robust workforce, pursue international partnerships, and drive regional cybersecurity capacity building programmes.

CSA is part of the Prime Minister’s Office and is managed by the Ministry of Digital Development and Information. For more news and information, please visit www.csa.gov.sg.

About the App Defense Alliance

The App Defense Alliance (ADA) is an industry collaboration led by leading technology firms Google, Meta, and Microsoft, alongside 30 other organisations, dedicated to improving the security and privacy of the app ecosystem. It aims to safeguard users of mobile and web applications by promoting and applying industry-recognised security standards, providing validation guidance, and maintaining a certification framework to ensure consistent quality and safety.