In a significant step toward securing Cambodia’s rapidly expanding digital landscape, Axiata Group Berhad, a leading telecommunications conglomerate, has partnered with the country’s Ministry of Post and Telecommunications (MPTC) to strengthen cybersecurity measures. This collaboration, formalized through a memorandum of understanding, aims to build a resilient digital ecosystem by leveraging advanced threat intelligence and incident response capabilities. As Cambodia pushes toward its 2030 digital economy goals, this alliance signals a proactive effort to address the mounting cyber risks that accompany rapid technological growth.
What is CyberSecurity?
Cybersecurity is the technology, people, processes and management that protects our digital world from a growing tide of threats. It encompasses the tools, strategies, and expertise needed to defend computers, networks, and data from hackers, malware, and other cyberattacks that can disrupt lives, steal sensitive information, or cripple critical infrastructure. As Cambodia races toward a digital future—where everything from government services to small businesses relies on interconnected systems—cybersecurity has become a cornerstone of trust and stability. From thwarting phishing scams that target everyday users to safeguarding national systems against sophisticated state-sponsored attacks, it’s about ensuring the digital economy remains a safe space for innovation and growth.
A Strategic Response to Rising Cyber Threats
The partnership, signed at Axiata’s Cyber Fusion Centre, focuses on three critical pillars: cyber threat intelligence and incident response, capacity building, and knowledge sharing. Witnessed by Chea Vandeth, Cambodia’s Minister of Post and Telecommunications, the agreement underscores a shared commitment to safeguarding the nation’s digital infrastructure. “This partnership reflects our shared interest in exploring collaborative opportunities to strengthen cybersecurity and digital resilience,” Vandeth said on August 10, 2025, as reported by Khmer Times. 
Cambodia’s digital economy is booming, with internet penetration reaching 70% in 2024, according to data from Cambodia Daily. However, this growth has made the country increasingly vulnerable to cyber threats. A 2025 report by the Asian Development Bank highlights a 30% surge in cybercrime across Southeast Asia since 2023, including phishing, ransomware, and data breaches, costing regional economies billions annually. For Cambodia, the risks are particularly acute for government institutions and small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs), many of which lack the resources to implement robust defenses.
Axiata’s involvement brings cutting-edge expertise to the table. Through its Cambodian subsidiary, Smart Axiata, the group offers real-time threat monitoring and rapid response mechanisms designed to mitigate risks before they escalate. This is particularly vital given incidents like the 2024 ransomware attacks that targeted Cambodian SMEs, as reported by Khmer Times on June 15, 2025. By establishing a platform for cross-border incident response, the partnership enhances Cambodia’s ability to tackle sophisticated threats originating beyond its borders.
| Focus Area | Details |
|---|---|
| Cyber Threat Intelligence and Incident Response | Establishing a common platform for sharing information on cyber threats and strategies to improve incident response, alongside cooperation to mitigate cross-border incidents affecting both organizations. |
| Capacity Building | Jointly developing and implementing programs to enhance the skills and expertise of cybersecurity professionals within Axiata and the MPTC. |
| Knowledge Exchange and Collaboration | Promoting bilateral cooperation through information exchange, provision of specialists for knowledge sharing, and organizing joint training, seminars, study visits, conferences, and forums, including those focused on professional certification under Global ACE Certification. |
Harnessing Technology to Protect Critical Infrastructure
At the heart of Axiata’s contribution is its Cyber Fusion Centre, launched in August 2022. The facility provides a suite of services, including proactive threat hunting and predictive analytics, to identify and neutralize potential cyberattacks. Cyber threat intelligence involves gathering and analyzing data on emerging risks, such as malware or advanced persistent threats (APTs), while incident response focuses on containing and recovering from breaches to minimize damage. For Cambodia, these tools are essential to protecting critical infrastructure, including telecommunications and financial services, which are key targets outlined in the country’s National Cyber Security Strategy (2021–2026).
The benefits for the Cambodian government are immediate. E-government platforms, which processed 12 million transactions in 2024 according to Cambodia Daily, are prime targets for state-sponsored cyberattacks, which have risen by 25% across Southeast Asia, as noted in a 2025 Bloomberg report. Axiata’s real-time intelligence sharing with the MPTC enables faster detection and response, ensuring that public services remain secure and operational. This fosters public trust in digital governance, a cornerstone of Cambodia’s broader digital transformation agenda.
Empowering Businesses in a Digital Economy
For Cambodian businesses, particularly SMEs that constitute 70% of the nation’s GDP per the Asian Development Bank, the partnership offers access to enterprise-grade cybersecurity solutions at an affordable level. Smart Axiata’s local presence ensures that these services are tailored to the specific needs of the market. For instance, e-commerce platforms, which saw a 40% increase in phishing attacks in 2024 according to Khmer Times, can benefit from targeted threat monitoring to reduce downtime and financial losses. By safeguarding these businesses, the collaboration helps maintain their competitiveness in an increasingly digital regional economy.
The financial stakes are high. A 2025 Reuters report indicates that Southeast Asia accounts for 20% of global ransomware incidents, with Cambodia’s financial sector alone losing approximately $50 million (~1.8 trillion KHR) to cyberattacks in 2024. Axiata’s predictive analytics and automated response systems are designed to counter such threats, particularly in the mobile banking sector, which serves 15 million users, as reported by Cambodia Daily. This focus on securing digital payment systems and SME protocols addresses some of the most pressing vulnerabilities in the country’s digital ecosystem.
Building a Future-Ready Cybersecurity Workforce
Technology alone is not enough to ensure long-term digital resilience. Recognizing this, Axiata and the MPTC are committed to capacity building through joint training programs aimed at upskilling cybersecurity professionals. Cambodia faces a shortage of around 5,000 cyber experts, a gap that mirrors regional trends as noted in a 2025 Vientiane Times report. Initiatives under this partnership, including seminars, study visits, and certifications aligned with the Global ACE framework, seek to cultivate a new generation of talent capable of sustaining the country’s digital defenses over time.
Vivek Sood, Group CEO of Axiata, emphasized the broader significance of this effort. “We are proud to partner with the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications of Cambodia in this critical endeavour,” Sood stated on August 10, 2025, as reported by Khmer Times. “In an increasingly digital world, robust cybersecurity is not just a necessity but a foundation for sustainable economic growth and societal well-being.” His comments reflect Axiata’s overarching vision of fostering inclusive digital societies across the region, as detailed in its 2024 Integrated Annual Report.
Navigating Cambodia’s Unique Cybersecurity Challenges
Cambodia’s cybersecurity landscape is shaped by both its rapid digital adoption and its geopolitical context. As a member of ASEAN, the country is deeply integrated into the region’s digital economy, yet this connectivity also exposes it to risks from cybercrime hubs nearby. The growing use of digital payment systems and the relative lack of cybersecurity awareness among SMEs exacerbate these challenges. Axiata’s Cyber Fusion Centre addresses these issues through targeted solutions, such as disrupting malware networks linked to regional cybercrime syndicates, a problem highlighted by Channel News Asia on July 20, 2025.
Sam Sethserey, Director General of ICT at the MPTC, described the partnership as a pivotal moment. “This MoU with Axiata Group Berhad marks a new milestone in the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to strengthen cybersecurity in Cambodia,” he said on August 10, 2025, as reported by Khmer Times. His statement underscores the strategic importance of public-private collaborations in tackling the evolving nature of cyber threats in the region.
A Model for Regional Collaboration
The alliance between Axiata and the MPTC sets a powerful precedent for public-private partnerships in Southeast Asia’s cybersecurity domain. By combining Axiata’s technological prowess with the regulatory framework of the MPTC, the collaboration not only addresses immediate threats but also lays the groundwork for long-term resilience. This model could inspire similar initiatives across the region, where digital transformation often outpaces the development of adequate security measures.
As Cambodia advances toward its vision of a fully realized digital economy by 2030, the partnership with Axiata positions the nation to navigate the complexities of an interconnected world. The focus on both technology and talent development ensures that businesses and citizens alike can thrive in a secure digital environment. Yet, the true test lies ahead—whether this collaboration can adapt to the ever-evolving nature of cyber threats remains a critical question for Cambodia’s digital future.
