Southeast Asia a key and strategic market for WithSecure Corporation

With a keen eye on the fast-growing regional digital landscape, Finnish cybersecurity specialist WithSecure Corporation (formerly known as F-Secure Business) is continuing to build upon its formidable presence in Southeast Asia. Across its portfolio of cybersecurity consulting, security software and managed services, WithSecure is further enhancing an already robust commitment to mitigating cyber threats in this dynamically evolving market.

WithSecure Regional Vice President (Southeast Asia) Tony Smith (pic above) said that the company is continuing to focus on the needs of business ecosystems, by delivering meaningful security outcomes which enhance cybersecurity resilience and readiness in the region.

“Our mission is to solve the most difficult cybersecurity challenges that our customers face, whether by focussing on their ability to deal with evolving threats, or by way of providing the services necessary to do so on their behalf,” said Smith.

“Our cybersecurity consultancy business based in Singapore is world renowned for security strategy and risk management, enriching the cybersecurity narrative with seasoned insights,” he added.

Smith further said: “Security Assurance, including regulatory testing and threat modelling, as well as Security Insights are facets of security that we have invested in over the years, while newer capabilities have been developed in line with emerging trends in the threat landscape.”

Furthermore, the breadth of WithSecure’s solution portfolio extends to Endpoint Protection, Endpoint Detection and Response and Vulnerability Management, all delivered through the company’s award-winning WithSecure Elements security platform, as well as Collaboration Protection and Cloud Protection.

WithSecure Elements is a unified cloud-based platform, rendering a formidable defence against a spectrum of cyber threats including Malware, Ransomware, and Advanced Persistent Threats.

“For more than 35 years, we have been at the forefront of innovation and solution delivery for cyber security challenges, and our quest to get in the way of the bad guys remains resolute. We don’t just do this on our own, as we also have an extensive eco-system of global partners and resellers, with who we fight the cyber battles collectively,” said Smith

Smith cited a forthcoming endeavour in Malaysia, slated for unveiling in next month.

This venture, meticulously engineered for superior user-convenience particularly for the region’s bustling SME sector, embodies a ‘plug and play’ principle.

“It has been harmoniously sculpted in liaison with indigenous industry stalwarts and governmental entities, encapsulating an extensive swath of cybersecurity R&D to ensure remarkable ease-of-use,” said Smith. “This initiative aims to embolden SME proprietors with intelligent and efficacious network security solutions, offering unparalleled ease of use,” he added.

“It presents a seamless installation experience as a quintessential plug-and-play apparatus, seamlessly interfacing with users’ networks, autonomously scrutinising all interconnected devices for potential vulnerabilities.”

This initiative has been envisaged to be universally accessible for all SMEs, courtesy of its bespoke subscription modalities and a diminutive entry threshold.

Among the array of features and capabilities, this initiative encapsulates remote management facilitated with automation for systematic updates, comprehensive scans of host networks and robust internal self-protection mechanisms.

“Users will also be endowed with an intuitive web portal to effortlessly peruse results and discern potential vulnerabilities, thereby achieving an informed and proactive cybersecurity management stance,” added Smith. “It’s an epitome of WithSecure’s broader aspiration to interweave advanced cybersecurity solutions with local business infrastructures, fostering a fortified digital ecosystem capable of thwarting evolving cyber threats.”

This paradigm of localised cybersecurity initiatives underlines WithSecure’s in-depth comprehension of the region’s unique digital ecosystem and its resolve to tailor solutions that resonate with local business exigencies.

This upcoming initiative serves as testimony to WithSecure’s overarching ethos of coalescing global cybersecurity expertise with local insights to foster a safer digital realm, making strides towards a resilient digital economy in Southeast Asia.

The genesis of WithSecure’s foresight is rooted in the comprehensive suite of cybersecurity solutions that has become synonymous with the company.

“WithSecure’s Southeast Asian narrative has unfolded with discernible momentum over the years,” said Meng Hong Yong (pic), Regional Sales Director for WithSecure based in Malaysia, and who has been with the company for close to a decade.

In Malaysia, its longstanding allegiance to the territory illuminates the strategic essence of their regional blueprint. Housing the company’s only Tactical Defence Unit outside Helsinki in Malaysia, WithSecure exemplifies an enduring commitment to fostering a resilient cybersecurity infrastructure within the nation and the broader region.

More recently, its foray into the Philippine market last year accentuates their proactive stance in engraining a cybersecurity culture within the regional business ecosystem.

“The versatile modularity of WithSecure’s offerings resonates well with the dynamic needs of the mid-market spectrum, enabling a seamless transition from basic to advanced cybersecurity solutions. This modularity is underlined by a flexible pricing mechanism, ensuring a cost-effective pathway to advanced cybersecurity for a broad spectrum of business entities,” said Yong.

The resonance of the ‘co-security’ paradigm, as coined by WithSecure, underlines a collaborative effort in combating the multifaceted cyber threats prevalent in today’s digital milieu.

“The emphasis on a collaborative security narrative brings to life WithSecure’s plans to navigate the complex cybersecurity landscape,” said Yong.

Moreover, WithSecure’s dedication to the Southeast Asian region is enriched by its proactive engagement with local government entities.

For instance, the company’s collaboration with the Malaysia Digital Economy Corp (MDEC) reflects a keen intent to anchor a robust cybersecurity infrastructure, mitigating the spectrum of cyber threats whilst fostering a culture of cybersecurity awareness.

“The tale of WithSecure’s commitment to Southeast Asia serves as testimony to our important role of advancing powerful cybersecurity solutions in today’s digital age. As we amplify our footprint within the region, the horizon of a secure digital ecosystem looks very promising,” said Yong.

“The journey of WithSecure in Southeast Asia is not merely a venture but about creating and nurturing greater cybersecurity resilience within a dynamic market,” said Smith.

“As cyber threats continue to evolve with increasing sophistication, the exigency of advanced cybersecurity solutions becomes imperative. WithSecure’s venture in Southeast Asia is a robust stride towards a secure digital future, a narrative that unfolds with a promise of resilience and innovation in combating the spectrum of cyber threats in today’s digital age.”

With a comprehensive portfolio of cybersecurity solutions and a robust strategy for the Southeast Asian region, WithSecure is poised to play a crucial role in shaping the cybersecurity landscape within the region.