The Head of the Indonesia Cyber and Crypto Agency, Lieutenant General (Ret) Hinsa Siburian, stated that Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are the backbone of Indonesia’s economy, contributing 60.5% to the country’s GDP. Therefore, he believes cyber attacks on MSMEs can endanger the national economy.
Five common cyber threats often target MSMEs. These threats include ransomware, phishing, software vulnerability exploits, insider threats, and a combination of social engineering and malware.
“These MSMEs sometimes feel small, so they do not prioritize data security. They have limited human resources and budgets. While security technology is not cheap,” said Hinsa Siburian at UGM on Tuesday (November 14).
As a keynote speaker at the 6th National MSME Meeting on Cyber Security organized by the UGM, Siburian stated that Indonesia’s economy relies heavily on the digital economy. Digitalized MSMEs have seen an increase in both coverage and potential income.
When MSMEs go digital, data shows that 87% of MSMEs in Indonesia use the internet in their business. 73% of MSMEs have marketplace accounts to sell their products.
Regarding percentage growth, 48% of Indonesia’s 278.8 million population has conducted online searches for goods and services, with 46% visiting online stores and making online transactions.
Therefore, to protect MSMEs from cyber attacks, technically and socially, awareness of cyber security for MSMEs and collaboration and synergy among stakeholders are critical. According to him, a unified action referring to the national cyber security strategy is needed.
“To have a sustainable business, the digitalization of MSMEs needs to be accompanied by the improvement of capability and awareness in competent cyber security,” he said.
“I believe universities like UGM can play a catalytic role in supporting the improvement of capabilities and cyber security awareness for MSMEs through cyber security literacy.”
Dr. Arie Sudjito, the UGM Vice-Rector for Student Affairs, Community Service, and Alumni, believes that raising the issue of cyber security is not just a trend but a reason for everyone to accelerate or speed up the development of MSMEs.
“Like a double-edged sword, the tidal wave of information technology that accelerates development is great. It helps us achieve targets and expand networks faster. Without security, it becomes a serious threat,” the vice-rector explained.
According to him, the digitalization of MSMEs is crucial because it can increase efficiency and productivity, open up broader markets, enhance competition, and ease financial and economic stability risk management.
The digitalization of MSME business processes can also increase sales, facilitate communication and operational effectiveness, expand marketing networks, and optimize operational cost efficiency.
Author: Agung Nugroho