If you ask Mr Jonathan Khoo about his day at the office, it’s not unusual for him to say that he can’t share much.
“It’s due to the nature of the work,” says the 25-year-old systems engineer at the Cyber Security Agency (CSA) of Singapore.
As part of the National Cyber Threat Monitoring Centre, Mr Khoo’s work involves identifying cyber threats and vulnerabilities that target critical infrastructure, such as energy grids and water plants.
The work can be confidential as it involves discussions with stakeholders on their needs and requirements in their cyber defences.
“I enjoyed responding to incidents and being able to actively contribute and make a difference in people’s lives. In the same vein, I decided to be a first responder in the cyber field
– Mr Jonathan Khoo, recipient of the Smart Nation Scholarship (Mid-Term)
“We understand Singapore’s cyber landscape in order to identify threats that we can foresee happening or are already happening and assess whether or not there is potential for any fallout or repercussions,” says Mr Khoo.
He focuses specifically on cyber threats targeting critical infrastructure such as energy grids and treatment plants for drinking water. Such attacks have potentially dire consequences on lives, businesses and the economy.
Mr Khoo has only been on the job since October last year but in many ways, the Smart Nation scholar has been preparing for it for 15 years.
His first exposure to cyber security happened when he was 10. Determined to sneak in more gaming time, he cracked the family computer password while “shoulder surfing” his father and observing parts of the password.
This early fascination with computing grew through the years. So, it was no surprise that he decided to pursue undergraduate studies in computer engineering at the National University of Singapore (NUS).
During his first year, Mr Khoo realised just how much the dynamic nature of cyber security appealed to him, which led him to apply for the Smart Nation Scholarship.
“I chose the Smart Nation Scholarship with the CSA because of the more front-facing nature of the work. The agency works with stakeholders to identify their priorities when it comes to ensuring a resilient cyberspace,” explains Mr Khoo.
His preference for work that directly contributes to keeping Singapore safe was also rooted in the satisfaction he had felt as a firefighter while doing his national service.
“I enjoy responding to incidents and being able to actively contribute and make a difference in people’s lives. In the same vein, I decided to be a first responder in the cyber field,” says Mr Khoo.
Prior to joining the Smart Nation Scholarship programme in his second year at NUS, Mr Khoo confesses that his understanding of cyber security had been limited to “the classic stereotype of hacking”.
It took a three-month internship with the CSA’s Cybersecurity Engineering Centre to give him an immersive and hands-on experience in the sector.
“During the internship, I was tasked to exploit a Wi-Fi router as part of an assignment. With my engineering background, I changed the LED lighting sequence and colour on the router by messing with the temperature unit sensor limit values in it,” he explains.
The exercise took him less than three days to complete and made him realise cyber security is only as strong as the weakest link – the smart IoT (Internet of Things) consumer devices that are now a ubiquitous part of our everyday lives.
“This opened my eyes to the numerous ways a cyber criminal could exploit just one small vulnerability to attack a commonly used device,” says Mr Khoo.
The internship also gave him the opportunity to work on inter-division projects with people from different departments within the CSA.
“One misconception about being an engineer in cyber security is that we only have to be strong in our technical skill set and expertise,” says Mr Khoo. “However, we also need good soft skills such as the ability to engage and network as well as a willingness to learn about things beyond what the job scope requires.”
By the time Mr Khoo started his full-time position at the CSA in 2023, he was ready to take on the challenges that came with the job.
His scholarship experience – from the application process to presentations and panel interviews – prepared him for the non-technical aspects of the job, such as effective communication skills, adaptability to change, and openness to alternative ideas. Meanwhile, his internship and computer engineering degree ensured he was up to speed with the demands of the cyber security sector.
“I knew I made the right decision choosing the CSA because the work culture in my team is aligned with my expectations and I truly enjoy what I do since it is a combination of both technical and non-technical work,” says Mr Khoo.
Since he joined the CSA, Mr Khoo has been given opportunities to apply his technical and non-technical know-how during presentations at senior-level meetings and participation at a high-profile event.
“One of the more memorable moments of my career up to now was the opportunity to be a principal liaison officer for Thailand’s Minister of Digital Economy and Society during the 4th Asean Digital Ministers’ Meeting in February this year,” he says.
The experience underlined for him that, just like the work of cyber security, it takes close collaboration and good teamwork with officers from various agencies to ensure the success of large-scale projects.
Mr Khoo advises potential scholars to make full use of the internships at the CSA to explore what each division does and learn how they work together to meet the agency’s objectives at the national level.
“The bigger picture helps you understand which field you might want to join in the future,” he says.
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