SINGAPORE Trends and Developments Contributed by: Sheena Jacob, Sherman Poon and Andre Choo, CMS
Cyber support for SMEs Singapore plans a Cyber Resilience Centre for SMEs in 2026, offering diagnostics, advisory services, and incident support, acknowledging that smaller firms are frequent targets due to limited resources (see here and here ). National efforts will expand to uplift baseline cyberhygiene and resilience, particularly for SMEs. Conclusion In 2025, Singapore’s cybersecurity landscape was characterised by increased complexity, heightened regulatory expectations, and rapidly evolving threats driven by AI and digital interconnectivity. What is becoming clearer, is that traditional perimeter-based defences are no longer sufficient to address the scale and sophistication of modern cyber-risks. In 2026, cybersecurity will increasingly be viewed through the lens of systemic resilience, governance, and accountability. Organisations must adopt forward- looking, integrated approaches to cyber-risk manage - ment encompassing technology, people, processes, and third-party ecosystems. Continued collaboration between government, industry, and international part - ners will be essential to safeguarding Singapore’s digi - tal future and maintaining trust in its role as a global financial and technology hub.
Looking Ahead: Key Predictions for 2026 Regulatory developments in cybergovernance As Singapore strengthens its regulatory frameworks to address online harms and cyberthreats, new legal structures, such as online safety commissions, along with stricter regulatory expectations, will influence how companies manage risk and build in relevant safeguards in their platforms. Boards and executives are expected to face height - ened responsibility for cybersecurity governance fail - ures, and compliance teams will need to integrate legal and ethical risk management into their strategies. Quantum-ready security Forrester’s Asia Pacific predictions highlight quantum security as a top priority for enterprises across the region. As cybercriminals increasingly adopt “har - vest now, decrypt later” strategies, over 90% of Asia Pacific organisations are expected to invest in post- quantum technologies (see here ). Government initia - tives, including Singapore’s National Quantum-Safe Network Plus (see here ), are set to accelerate quan - tum security investments. In October 2025, the CSA released a quantum-safe handbook and a quantum readiness index (see here ). The handbook offers guidance to organisations, par - ticularly CII owners and government agencies, on how to prepare for the transition to quantum-safe technologies. The quantum readiness index enables system owners and security professionals to assess their organisation’s level of preparedness, identify and prioritise critical actions, and support informed engagement with senior management.
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