Following the successful opening day of MAP-TXS 2024, the next two days of the event were jam-packed with activities.
The AI Capture-the-Flag event attracted large numbers of cybersecurity professionals and students over all three days of MAP-TXS 2024. (Photo: HTX)
Following the successful opening day of Milipol Asia-Pacific – TechX Summit (MAP-TXS) 2024, the next two days of the event were jam-packed with activities, and attendees and curious visitors filled the exhibition and conference halls at the Marina Bay Sands convention centre.
Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Mr Teo Chee Hean (middle), HTX Chief Executive Chan Tsan (left), and Suresh Mustapha, Managing Director of APAC, SANS Institute (right), officially launched the AI Capture-the-Flag event. (Photo: HTX)
AI Capture-the-Flag (CTF) was one of the major associated events at MAP-TXS 2024. Cybersecurity experts from HTX, SANS Institute, DEFCON AI Village, Crowdstrike, and Booz Allen Hamilton presented educational talks on the first and third days of the event, with the actual CTF challenge taking place on the second day.
CTF participants trying to beat the clock and the challenges! (Photos: HTX)
Over 100 cybersecurity professionals and students from Singapore and other countries took part in the CTF challenge, which required the competing teams to solve 50 challenges, including 20 which could be solved faster with AI.
What did the participants think of the event? Garen Tan from HTX’s xCybersecurity, whose team came in tenth place, shared, “It was quite stressful because this is my first CTF challenge in a big public space. My previous ones were in a closed room, but when I got into it, everything just tuned out and I was able to focus. The challenge had a scale of progression, each step challenged with us new things that we had to quickly learn to obtain the flag. We had wished to get into the top 10, but at the end of the day, the learning experience was what mattered, getting into top 10 was a bonus. I’m relieved it’s over and I picked up additional knowledge that I can bring back home.”
Were the AI CTF organisers thrilled with how the event turned out? Tay Sze Ying from xCybersecurity certainly was! “Organising this CTF event has been xCiting – so challenging yet fruitful! It has opened up new ground for cross-fertilisation of ideas and networking, adding another dimension to the thought leadership experiences of MAP-TXS 2024.”
Back at the MAP-TXS conference venue, the attendees were treated to a dialogue session with Mr Jeff Moss, the founder of DEF CON and Black Hat:
Jeff Moss discussed critical issues with AI such as safety and bias. (Photo: HTX)
During his wide-ranging discussion, he shared that AI algorithms should be unbiased to help users make the most informed decision. Biased AI can exacerbate stereotypes, and decisions made uncritically based on biased results risk causing further harms to stigmatised communities. Such bias stems from existing human bias found in the datasets used to train the AI models. To reduce the impact of such datasets, separate datasets controlled by the organisation itself need to be fed into bespoke AI systems to make their results more trustworthy.
The following panel on Securing Borders: Threats and Challenges, saw top border control officials from the U.S., Australia, and Singapore discussing how their countries face the challenges of efficiently clearing the large and growing numbers of travellers crossing their borders while intercepting terrorists and criminals:
(From left to right) Jean-Christophe Fondeur, Chief Technical Officer, IDEMIA; Diane J. Sabatino, Acting Executive Assistant Commissioner, Office of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); Marvin Sim Wai Meng, Commissioner, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority, Singapore; Michael Outram APM, Commissioner, Australian Border Force (ABF); and moderator Yvette Chua, Deputy Director, Customer Operations, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority, Singapore.
Singapore’s New Clearance Concept is a good example of how technological innovations like AI can be deployed to tighten border security while helping legitimate travellers seamlessly cross the border. The panellists also discussed how governments can draw on public-private partnerships to secure cutting-edge technological solutions from industry for use in border security.
ABF Commissioner Michael Outram APM (left) and HTX CE Chan Tsan (right) sign the ABF-HTX MoU. (Photo: HTX)
On the sidelines of MAP-TXS, Australian Border Force (ABF) Commissioner Michael Outram APM, who had participated in the conference panel on Securing Borders: Threats and Challenges, met with HTX Chief Executive Chan Tsan to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Under the MoU, HTX and ABF will engage in the reciprocal exchange of officers, technical information, and best practices to enhance their respective border, homeland and public safety and security capabilities.
Following this panel was one on Battling Cyber Crimes and Scams:
(From left to right) Ng Tian Chong, Chief Executive Officer, Singtel Singapore; Tim Godwin OBE QPM, Managing Director Focsle Solutions, Accenture Luminary for Public Safety; Patrick Perrot, Gendarmerie Nationale AI Coordinator and AI Counsellor, Homeland Ministry in the Cyberspace, France; How Kwang Hwee, Deputy Commissioner (Investigation & Intelligence) and concurrent Director Criminal Investigation Department, Singapore Police Force; and moderator Dr. Jonathan Pan, Chief, Disruptive Technologies Office (DTO), and Director xCybersecurity, HTX. (Photo: HTX)
The panellists discussed contemporary cybercriminals whose crimes such as ransomware attacks and scams have been empowered by their use of AI, and whose transnational nature have made policing them a difficult challenge. To effectively combat these criminals, the authorities have had to form international collaborations with their partner agencies in other countries as well as collaborations with industry to leverage innovative technologies developed in the private sector. The panellists also discussed how security officials can be encouraged to make use of the new tools provided by AI, and how the talent shortage in AI and data science in the public and private sectors can be filled.
The MAP-TXS conference attendees next learned how cutting-edge technologies developed by startups can be harnessed for use by homeland security, courtesy of a presentation by the leaders of HTX’s Hatch and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Silicon Valley Innovation Programme:
Mok Shao Hong, Centre Director, Hatch, HTX (left) and Melissa Oh, Managing Director, Silicon Valley Innovation Program, Science & Technology Directorate, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (right) discussed how their agencies draw on the innovative technologies developed in the startup ecosystem. (Photo: HTX)
They highlighted the importance of harnessing dual-use technologies. In other words, a technology developed by a non-homeland-security-related startup may, with certain adjustments, become useful for homeland security! Hatch’s Dimension X challenges is one avenue for Singapore’s Home Team to work with startups that develop dual-use technologies.
The final panel of the MAP-TXS conference was on Human-Centric Innovation in the Age of AI:
(From left to right) Dr. Akihiko Iketani, General Manager and Head of NEC Generative AI Center, NEC Corporation; James Taylor, Vice President, Product and Innovation, DXC Strategic Business Group; Tamsin Greulich-Smith, Director, School of X, DesignSingapore Council; Prof. Zhu Liming, Research Director, Software and Computational Systems, CSIRO’s Data61, Australia; Kirk Arthur, Government Solutions Lead, Worldwide Government Industry, Microsoft; and moderator Ng Pan Yong, Chief Innovation Officer & Chief Cloud Engineer, HTX. (Photo: HTX)
The panellists emphasised that AI should foster synergy with humans instead of substituting them. In view of issues such as hallucinations, organisations should always ensure humans are in the loop to make decisions based on the information given by AI systems. The technical term is “explainability” – we cannot blindly listen to whatever AI tells us and must always question why it is providing us with certain information.
How can the adoption of AI be more human-centric? We need to understand the needs of the people who are looking for solutions and design AI for their problems. The key is to understand the value proposition of AI and ensure trust between the AI and the end users.
This panel did not mark the end of MAP-TXS, however. The third and final day of MAP-TXS was filled with various associated events. One of these events was the inaugural Leaders in Crisis Management Forum (LCMF), which was led by Singapore’s Home Team Academy:
Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of National Development, delivered the opening address for the inaugural Leaders in Crisis Management Forum. (Photo: HTX)
This inaugural LCMF, which had the theme “Leading and Learning in the Polycrisis World,” brought together leading professional and academic personalities from Singapore and other countries to share their rich experiences and perspectives in crisis management relating to public safety and security. This can be seen in the LCMF dialogue between the Chief Psychologist of Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs and the Commissioner of the Australian Border Force:
ABF Commissioner Michael Outram APM (middle) and Dr Majeed Khader, Chief Psychologist, Ministry of Home Affairs, Singapore (left) engaged in a dialogue during the LCMF moderated by Kai Munshi, Deputy Director, Federal Law Enforcement Training Centres, U.S. (Photo: HTX)
Another major associated event which took place on the third day of MAP-TXS was the 2024 Annual Meeting of the International Forum to Advance First Responder Innovation (IFAFRI), which was led by IFAFRI and HTX’s Civil Defence Programme Management Centre. The aim of IFAFRI is to enhance and expand the development of affordable technology and innovation to improve first responder safety, efficiency, and effectiveness.
One of the highlights of IFAFRI’s 2024 Annual Meeting was a dialogue with Dr. Dimitri Kusnezov, Under Secretary for Science and Technology, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (left), and the U.S. Fire Administrator Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell (middle). (Photo: HTX)
The third day of MAP-TXS also saw a workshop on emerging technologies for public safety organised by HTX’s Disruptive Technologies Office (DTO) in collaboration with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the world’s largest technical professional organisation dedicated to advanced technologies. This inaugural HTX-IEEE Public Safety Workshop showcased how emerging technologies are transforming and can potentially be used to enhance homeland security.
(From left to right) Moderator Dr Jonathan Pan, DTO, HTX; AC Alan Chow, Director, Civil Defence Academy; Prof David Lo, IEEE Fellow and UOB Chair Professor of Computer Science, Singapore Management University; Prof Lance Fung, R10 Director, IEEE; and Ms. Celia Desmond, Industry Engagement Committee, IEEE engaged in a dialogue on translating research for real-life applications. (Photo: HTX)
On the sidelines of MAP-TXS 2024, Dr Pan and IEEE’s Singapore representative signed a MoU:
Nanyang Technological University Associate Professor Arokiaswami Alphones, Singapore Section Chair, IEEE (third from left) and Dr. Jonathan Pan, HTX (third from right) signed the HTX-IEEE MoU. (Photo: HTX)
This MoU strengthened HTX's partnership with IEEE, allowing HTX to leverage IEEE's extensive global academic networks to facilitate international collaborations in advanced research and technology development; and to showcase its expertise and thought leadership through participation in IEEE conferences, publications, and standards development.
Aside from the ABF and IEEE, HTX also signed collaboration agreements with ST Engineering, Samsung Electronics Singapore, and other partners on the sidelines of MAP-TXS.
Another major associated event which took place on the third day of MAP-TXS was the workshop on Navigating AI Frontiers in Homeland Security led by HTX’s Sense-making and Surveillance (S&S) Centre of Expertise (CoE). This workshop gave attendees a deep dive into enabling infrastructure to accelerate AI development, securing trust in deployment, and addressing challenges in frontier AI.
S&S CoE’s workshop on Navigating AI Frontiers in Homeland Security was opened by Mr. Ang Chee Wee, Assistant Chief Executive (Digital & Engineering), HTX. (Photo: HTX)
Back in the MAP-TXS exhibition hall, the throngs of visitors were joined by STEM students interested in the research developed by HTX and its partners.
Interested students experience a demonstration of the Mixed Reality HoloDeX prototype developed by DTO’s Principal Engineer Sivakumar Ponapalam (second from right). (Photo: HTX)
Xponents who worked on the exhibits expressed mixed feelings at the close of MAP-TXS on Friday 5 April 2024.
Willy Ong, who was part of the Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System (CUAS) exhibit, shared: “I feel good that I could share CUAS and what HTX has done for public safety with my fellow Singaporeans.”
Seah Jun Ru, who worked on the Eye on the Internet exhibit, was excited to have shared the project with the visitors: “It’s been useful to promote our technology for the country and let more people know about it – visitors from the private sector, Ministry of Home Affairs, frontline officers and foreign parties. It has encouraged more collaboration and helped us know where to refine our products.”
What did the organisers feel about the end of MAP-TXS? “It was my first time organising such events, giving me a chance to be exposed beyond my tech portfolio. It’s been fun and exciting, and there were several little details we had to take note of throughout. It was a tiring but good experience,” shared Lim Pei Yi, who was a member of the Organising Committee (Networking).
“It’s been quite an exhilarating experience with lots of ups and downs. Excruciating on some days but exciting on other days. I really value that the team that I worked with – they embodied ‘If you fail to plan, you plan to fail’,” added Joseph Wong, who was a member of Organising Committee (Exhibits), who also expressed the common feeling, “Now that it’s over, I’m just very relieved and can’t wait to go home and sleep.”
Thanks everyone who made MAP-TXS 2024 a success! (Photo: HTX)