Jakarta, INTI - Deputy Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs, Nezar Patria, emphasized that cybersecurity serves as a guarantee for the protection of personal data and the continuity of public services used by citizens on a daily basis.
“Cybersecurity today can no longer be understood as a technical issue or simply a matter of handling hacking incidents,” he said at the Executive City Hall of the National Cyber and Crypto Agency (BSSN) in Depok, West Java, Monday, January 19, 2026.
He explained that cyberspace has now become a strategic arena directly affecting public life, ranging from administrative services, healthcare, and social assistance to democratic processes.
“The main threat is not spectacular cyberattacks, but rather the gradual erosion of sovereignty within systems,” said Deputy Minister Nezar.
He noted that dependence on foreign digital infrastructure, leaks of strategic data, and information manipulation pose risks to disrupting public services and undermining public trust.
“Digital infrastructure must be positioned as a security asset. Submarine cables, data centers, cloud services, identity systems, and artificial intelligence are all part of the strategic landscape,” he added.
Deputy Minister Nezar cited the Global Cyber Security Outlook 2026 report, which recorded an increase of approximately 34 percent in geopolitically motivated ransomware attacks throughout 2025, targeting digital infrastructure and critical sectors.
Government Role in Protecting Data and Public Services
In response, Deputy Minister Nezar emphasized concrete government measures through strengthening the role of BSSN to ensure national cyber situational awareness, protect citizens' data, maintain uninterrupted public services, and safeguard democratic processes.
“In the era of cyber geopolitics, a country does not lose because it is attacked, but because its digital space is allowed to be shaped by others. Our task is to ensure that Indonesia’s digital space remains under Indonesian control,” he asserted.
Conclusion
The statements highlight that cybersecurity is no longer merely a technical issue, but a matter of national sovereignty. By reinforcing strategic control over digital infrastructure and critical systems, Indonesia aims to safeguard public trust, maintain continuous services, and assert leadership in the digital domain.
Read more: Indonesia’s Communications Ministry Seeks Clarification from Meta Over Instagram User Data Security Issues