Microsoft is opening up its source code for governments in Asia-Pacific, with the launch of a centre in Singapore today that aims to win their trust.
The Transparency Center and Cyber Security Center, a two-in-one facility, will enable governments to comb through the millions of lines of code in a software program with their own tools.
By giving the key to the company’s closely guarded secrets to trusted governments in the region, Microsoft hopes to allay fears that there could be loopholes or backdoors that hackers could exploit.
The Transparency Center is the fourth in the world, after similar facilities in the United States, Belgium and China. Nearly 40 countries and international organisations participate in the Microsoft programme, with 10 from Asia-Pacific.
At the same time, the new facility will collate information from millions of devices and services that Microsoft connects to, from Xbox consoles to cloud servers, to provide intelligence on online threats, and how to tackle them.
This is open to enterprise customers as well as governments in the region. They can tap on security specialists as well as technologies at Microsoft, the company said today.
The Singapore facility comes at a time when cyber security is a top focus for governments seeking to roll out robust e-services that businesses and citizens can trust.
Speaking at the launch today, Singapore’s Minister for Home Affairs and Law, K Shanmugam, said that the country was bringing down crime in all other areas but cyber crime was growing.
To “level up” in its fight against cyber crime, the government aims to educate the public, increase its capabilities, strengthen the judicial framework and partner with international organisations such as Interpol and industry leaders like Microsoft, he noted.
Calling the launch of the Microsoft facility timely and positive, he added: “It is good for us and it is good for the Asia-Pacific region. This can help bring about innovation, collaboration and information sharing. And help us strengthen cyber security for businesses, governments and individuals.”
Jessica Tan, the managing director for Microsoft Singapore, said her company’s extensive IT footprint gives it a good view of malware and emerging threats.
This intelligence allows Microsoft to stay ahead of the curve by building trusted applications and products, and to inform cyber security agencies from around the world to provide a safer online space for users, she added.
