Singapore Poly to offer ethical hacking services, give students real-world experience

Singapore Polytechnic (SP) has become the first educational institution in Singapore to provide ethical hacking services, offering students hands-on experience in the field. This initiative, known as penetration testing, involves identifying and assessing vulnerabilities in a company's computer systems before malicious hackers can exploit them.

Liew Chin Chuan, director of SP's School of Computing, noted that many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) lack the budget or in-house expertise to defend against cyber threats. The service will be free unless advanced tools are required, and SP aims to bridge the persistent shortage of cybersecurity talent in the country.

The initiative is part of a broader program called CASTLE, which also provides advisory services and awareness training to SMEs. Two faculty members from SP's School of Computing have been certified to offer penetration testing services, and approximately 540 students per year will gain exposure to real-world cybersecurity work.

Most SMEs will not incur any costs for the service, as the tools are included in SP's curriculum budget. One current student, Phang Kai De, participated in a penetration testing project for an SME in April, gaining valuable experience in identifying vulnerabilities and communicating findings to clients. The push for real-world experience comes as Singapore faces a shortage of nearly 4,000 cybersecurity professionals, according to a 2024 report by ISC2.

The polytechnic is also setting up a security operations centre (SOC) with ST Engineering, where students can gain experience monitoring and responding to real-time cybersecurity incidents.