7 million Malaysian smartphone users exposed to cyber hacks

Are you reading this article from your tablet, or smartphone?

If yes, you are one of the 7 million smartphone users in Malaysia that are exposed to threats from cyber hackers. Between January to September this year, losses incurred from cyber crime totaled RM21.8 million:

• Illegally intercepted online purchases     - 1,298 cases (RM14.5 million)
• Text messaging service or phone calls   - 412 cases   (RM3.4 million)
• Hacking                                               - 24 cases     (RM3.3 million)
• Internet and phone banking                   - 74 cases      (RM590,000)

TOTAL : RM21.8 million

Be warned and take all the precautions to avoid heartbreak.


Seven Million Smartphone Users Exposed To Threat From Cyber Hackers
Nov 2, 2012
KUALA LUMPUR: About seven million smartphone users nationwide are exposed to threats from cyber hackers who use smartphones as mediums through which to carry out fraudulent activities like stealing money.

Bukit Aman director of Commercial Crime Investigation Department, Datuk Syed Ismail Syed Azizan said a lack of awareness about smartphone security made smartphone users easy victims.

"The hackers' modus operandi is to send a malicious Trojan application disguised as a text message to consumers.

"They are unknowingly charged when they reply to the fake message. "Consumers only realise this after receiving costly phone bills although they did not subscribe to the phony services," he said.

The hackers' activities were executed via downloaded applications such as "type on" that caused the victims to bear the hidden expenses even when they had uninstalled the application.

Lookout Mobile Security was quoted as saying that worldwide users lost millions of dollars last year via malware and toll fraud that attacked smartphone users who had accessed applications from suspicious sources rather than trusted ones such as Apple and Google.

Ismail said police statistics records showed that from January to September this year, losses incurred from cyber crime via text or phone call totalled RM21.8 million. The cyber hackers targeted users of Internet and phone banking services, hacking into and abusing these networks.

Cases of illegally intercepted online purchases recorded the highest losses at RM14.5 million (1,298 cases) followed by text messaging service or phone calls at RM3.4 million (412 cases), hacking at RM3.3 million (24 cases) and Internet and phone banking at RM590,000 (74 cases).

However, there were no losses in cases of network abuse since they did not involve the loss of property but the extortion of victims by using personal photographs and threatening words. Twenty-five such cases were recorded.

Ismail said apart from seven million smartphone users, Malaysia had 7.7 million mobile Internet users. - Bernama

12 Government buildings save RM3.5mil in electricity bills

Electrical Energy Manager requirement in Malaysia

Efficient Management of Electrical Energy Regulations 2008 (EMEER) that was gazetted on December 15, 2008 is aimed at getting big energy users to meet requirements in respect of the efficient use of electricity. This Regulation, among others require users with total consumption of 3,000,000 kWh or more over 6 consecutive months to appoint a Electrical Energy Manager (EEM) and implement efficient electrical energy management.

If your organisation is drawing 700 kW of power consistently, energy consumption would be 16,800 kWh per day or 3,057,600 kWh over 182 days (6 months). This will qualify you - or rather require you - to notify Energy Commission and appoint a EEM. It's a legal requirement!

As a guideline, if you have a 1,000 kVA transformer installed at your premise, you most likely fall under this Regulation. Example: hotels/resorts, universities, water treatment plans/pumping stations, big shopping complexes, government buildings, sky-scrappers, etc.


Government took the lead-by-example approach!

This was in the news, so, expect stricter implementation of the Regulation by Energy Commission, EC, in the near future. You might get a surprise visit from EC officials:-

Government Buildings Saved RM3.5m In Electricity Bills This Year
Putrajaya - Nov.30, 2012

Twelve government buildings identified as the biggest consumers of electricity, registered savings of RM3.5 million or 10.3 per cent in power usage, between January and October.

Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui said, this was achieved after an energy manager was appointed for each building which used more than 3,000,000 kilowatts per hour in six consecutive months, and suggested steps for energy conservation for implementation.

Among the buildings are the Finance Ministry building which recorded savings of 20 per cent and the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry building with 9.8 per cent, he told reporters after meeting with ministry personnel here today.

Chin said, they could increase savings by using energy-saving bulbs such as light-emitting diode (LED) or compact fluorescent lamp (CFL), whereby RM800 million could be saved a year, should all buildings be fitted with such bulbs. He said the ministry was still discussing with the Finance Ministry on implementing the change to energy-saving bulbs as it would involve high costs.

"We are now looking at working with producers to come up with their proposal on how they can implement this for the government.

"If they can work with us on the implementation, for example, they are paid according to the savings (made from the usage of the bulbs). Then, the government will be able to implement this much faster," he said.

Government buildings currently spend more than RM2.7 billion on electricity a year. - Bernama

MCMC issues revised SRSP for 4G services in 2600 MHz spectrum

When I posted about Super Wi-Fi poised for growth a few months back, I was talking about the long range and use of the broadcast spectrum that would allow wireless signals to travel farther than Wi-Fi. Couple that with 4G technology and you get almost unlimited possibility of things at your disposal; live streaming at premium video quality for instance.

What MCMC did was timely and it should put Malaysia "on par with other developed countries in the delivery of 4G services."


MCMC issues revised SRSP for 4G services
Nov 30, 2012

Kuala Lumpur: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has released a revised Standard Radio System Plan (SKMM SRSP-523) to pave the way for potential service providers to launch 4th Generation (4G) mobile services.

The 23-page document details the requirements for a globally harmonised spectrum band plan to implement the International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) systems (or 4G) operating in the 2600 MHz spectrum band to ensure efficient use of this scarce spectrum resource and to minimise interference among spectrum users within the country as well as with its neighbours.

Malaysians will get to enjoy 4G technology which could offer mobile broadband speeds of more than 100 Mbps and a plethora of new services such as high definition video upload and streaming, improved user experience on real-time applications and better connectivity for mobile and consumer electronic devices.

This band has been harmonised globally to facilitate international roaming by allowing the consumer to make use of the same device when travelling across different countries.

In a statement Thursday, MCMC Chairman, Datuk Mohamed Sharil Tarmizi said: "This is a paradigm shift in the mobile broadband era; whereas before, with 3G, users can expect typical mobile broadband speeds of between three and 10 Mbps, with 4G, speeds in excess of 100 Mbps will be possible.

"With the introduction of the 2600 MHz spectrum band for 4G mobile broadband as defined in the Standard Radio System Plan, it is envisaged that Malaysia will be on par with other developed countries in the delivery of 4G services."

The SKMM SRSP-523 document is available for download from the MCMC website. - Bernama