• Telkom and F5 ink a strategic MoU focused on enhancing cybersecurity across Indonesia
• The move comes as the value of Indonesia’s digital services and cybersecurity sectors is growing significantly
• The initiative aligns with national efforts to strengthen digital service resilience

Telkom Indonesia has formed a strategic partnership with security vendor F5 to boost its enterprise cybersecurity services portfolio and help bolster the nation’s defences in response to increasing cyber threats.

Indonesia is an increasingly important market in South-east Asia’s digital economy: The country’s digital transactions were valued at $77bn in 2022 and this figure is set to double by 2025 as individuals and the country’s vast army of small businesses (about 62 million small or micro businesses) increasingly use digital services. 

But that growth needs to go hand in hand with improved security measures: Dr Kartina Sury, senior fellow at the Center for Indonesian Policy Studies, noted in a report the significant vulnerabilities to cyberattacks faced by the nation, including data breaches and identity theft. She cited a study that identified more than 357 million cyberattack cases in Indonesia in the first half of 2023 alone.  

This collaboration between Telkom and F5, sealed by the recent signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU), aims to address these critical challenges by offering advanced security technologies to protect digital applications and application programmable interfaces (APIs) in a cybersecurity market that is set to grow in value at a CAGR of 16.6% between 2022 and 2028, by which time it is set to be worth 6tn rupiah (IDR) ($373m).

“The strategic partnership with F5 fortifies Telkom Group’s capabilities as the top digital telco in Indonesia, with a special focus on cybersecurity,” stated Budi Setyawan Wijaya, the operator’s director of strategic portfolio, in this announcement (in Indonesian). He emphasised the alignment of this partnership with Telkom’s Five Bold Moves strategy, particularly in enhancing the operator’s business-to-business digital IT services portfolio.

Based on research from IDC in 2023, the cybersecurity market share in Indonesia is estimated to reach IDR 6tn in 2028, with a CAGR of 16.6% between 2022 and 2028. Along with the growth of the digital economy and high market demand for digital security services in Indonesia, Telkom is committed to answering these needs through its portfolio in digital connectivity, digital platforms and digital services.

The collaboration is set against the backdrop of fragmented regulations and a high incidence of cyber threats, including malware and ransomware attacks, which Dr Sury’s report, among others, highlighted: One study, from security technology vendor Check Point Software, noted that Indonesia faces more cyberattacks than any other country in the South-east Asia region. 

Adam Judd, senior vice president of sales for Asia Pacific, China and Japan at F5, shared his enthusiasm about the partnership’s potential, stating, “By leveraging our combined strengths, we are setting the stage for innovative cybersecurity solutions that are not only responsive to current threats but also adaptable to the evolving landscape of cyber risks.”

This initiative’s focus on cybersecurity aligns with national and international efforts to strengthen digital defences.

- Joana Bagano, Contributing Editor, TelecomTV