KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 12 (Bernama) -- Cybersecurity threats are no longer confined to hacking computer systems or stealing data; they increasingly involve attacks that shape public perceptions and influence people's thinking through the spread of false information.
Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) lecturer in Social Communication and Media and Information Psychological Warfare Analyst Dr Ahmad Sauffiyan Abu Hasan said the rapid development of technology, especially artificial intelligence (AI), has made such threats more complex and better able to influence public trust in information.
He said such attacks could exploit public sentiment by spreading false narratives or stirring up tensions surrounding sensitive social issues, leading to widespread public unease.
“Every country has its own domestic issues. But when certain parties create negative narratives around them, those issues can escalate into much bigger problems,” he said during an appearance on Bernama TV's Ruang Bicara programme, titled "Ancaman Keselamatan Siber Semakin Rencam", tonight.
Ahmad Sauffiyan said media literacy and cybersecurity education should start in primary school to raise a digitally savvy generation less likely to fall for false information.
“We can start by educating them from a young age about the media, the content it carries, its importance and how they should engage with it,” he said.
He said the challenge of tackling fake news had grown more complicated, with social media users sharing content without checking its accuracy, allowing digital platform algorithms to amplify its spread.
He urged the public to check information through official channels or credible sources before accepting or sharing it, especially AI-generated content.
Ahmad Sauffiyan also urged parents to take a more proactive role in monitoring their children's online activities, particularly on gaming platforms that offer unrestricted interactive chat.
He said the country's ability to tackle cyber threats relied not only on advanced digital security infrastructure, but also on a public that could assess information critically and was less susceptible to propaganda.
He emphasised that national resilience to modern cyber threats required more than strong information technology infrastructure; it also depended on the public's ability to withstand psychological manipulation.
“We need to establish safeguards in our minds to filter out negative information,” he added.
-- BERNAMA