Building Cybersecurity Regulation in Southeast Asia: A Challenge for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

For each nation-state, technology has become a new backbone. It links a range of critical infrastructures, including finance, banking, security, water, electricity, and transport. As Southeast Asia's dominant regional body, ASEAN enjoys privileges and benefits from emerging technology. In recent years, digital trade has enhanced the economic growth of ASEAN. Nßon-traditional threats such as a cyber attack are, however, the result of the modern world. Malware, malware, and advanced persistent threat (APT) lurk in every corner of cyberspace, seeking to cripple and shut down ASEAN's economic interest. The lack of rigorous regulation and a major technological gap among ASEAN members is the biggest challenge to strengthen cybersecurity in Southeast Asia. When conflict comes from the cyber world, the absence of control will jeopardize their interests. Using Archer's theory of international organization, the author aims to examine the policy in Southeast Asia to issue firm cybersecurity regulations. To improve the debate, the authors used the qualitative approach and secondary data. ASEAN needs to set the standard, aggregate and socialize the national interests of all members and enforce the unique legal formal process from the viewpoint of the authors. The Cybersecurity Regulation should certainly be consistent with the essential basis of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation.