BlackBerry and LGMS Bhd, two major players in the cybersecurity landscape, have recently made significant moves to strengthen digital defenses and foster innovation in Malaysia and the broader ASEAN region. With the world’s reliance on digital infrastructure growing by the day—and threats evolving just as quickly—these initiatives could not be timelier.
On October 31, 2025, BlackBerry announced an expansion of its cybersecurity training programs in ASEAN, working alongside Malaysia’s Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. This initiative is backed by a CAD $226,000 investment from the Canadian government, as reported by Simply Wall St. The focus is clear: to train government officials, civil society, and youth in Malaysia, building a new generation of cyber defense talent. While the investment is modest compared to BlackBerry’s overall revenue, it’s a visible sign of the company’s commitment to being more than just a software vendor—it wants to be a true partner in the region’s digital security journey.
According to Simply Wall St, this move aligns with broader global efforts to shore up regional digital security talent pools. The Canadian government’s support not only boosts BlackBerry’s standing among government and academic stakeholders but may also open the door to future, larger-scale contracts and partnerships. As BlackBerry seeks to justify its relatively high earnings multiple and continues to navigate board turnover, these relationships could prove pivotal down the line.
“The initiative focuses on training government officials, civil society, and youth in Malaysia to build cyber defense capacity,” the report notes. It’s a strategic play: by investing in people and skills, BlackBerry is betting that tomorrow’s cybersecurity leaders will remember who helped them get their start. Still, as Simply Wall St points out, the size of the investment means it’s unlikely to move the needle on BlackBerry’s short-term financials. The company’s shares have been rising, but some analysts believe they may still be undervalued, suggesting that the market has yet to fully price in the long-term potential of these kinds of initiatives.
While BlackBerry is focusing on capacity building, LGMS Bhd is taking a different but complementary approach: beefing up practical, real-time protection for businesses of all sizes across Malaysia. On the same day, LGMS, through its subsidiary Applied Security Intelligence Sdn Bhd (ASI), formed a strategic partnership with Bridgenet Solutions Sdn Bhd—a company under the CelcomDigi umbrella—to deliver advanced cybersecurity solutions to both SMEs and large corporations. The centerpiece of this partnership is StarSentry, a comprehensive cybersecurity platform designed to keep organizations ahead of emerging threats.
StarSentry stands out in a crowded field for several reasons. It uses honeypot decoys and early-warning detection to spot suspicious activity before it becomes a crisis, providing timely alerts and enabling faster responses. The solution also comes with built-in cyber insurance to cushion the financial blow of a breach, offers unlimited scans with actionable health-check reports, and boasts a plug-and-play deployment model that’s easy for businesses to adopt. For added value, each deployment includes 10 complimentary CrowdStrike next-generation antivirus licenses, ensuring robust endpoint protection from day one.
“Through this partnership, SMEs and large enterprises engaging Bridgenet for business connectivity can access a streamlined suite of protections spanning identity and access, data, web, endpoint, mobile and email,” said LGMS executive chairman Fong Choong Fook, as quoted in The Edge Malaysia. He emphasized that these safeguards are “reinforced by managed monitoring and technical expertise, in line with recognised standards and frameworks, including Malaysia’s Cyber Security Act 2024, ISO and NIST.”
But the innovation doesn’t stop there. ASI has become the first managed security services provider in Malaysia to be licensed as a general insurance agent under Persatuan Insurans Am Malaysia (PIAM). This milestone means that LGMS can now offer integrated cyber insurance alongside always-on technology surveillance, a first in the country. StarSentry is the debut solution within this model, with more offerings planned for the future.
Bridgenet Group CEO Keane Leong described the partnership as a “timely step in addressing the rising cyber risks faced by businesses of all sizes.” He added, “By combining Bridgenet’s extensive enterprise reach with ASI’s innovative security and insurance-led approach—and the strength of the LGMS group behind it—we are enabling businesses to safeguard operations with confidence.”
Bridgenet, known for its expertise in enterprise ICT systems and managed services, brings a wealth of experience to the table, while LGMS contributes proven technical capabilities and market credibility. The partnership is also featured on CelcomDigi’s Cybersecurity page, signaling its prominence within the Malaysian digital economy.
LGMS’s ambitions extend beyond Malaysia. In July 2025, the group announced plans to acquire a 27% equity stake in Antarex Holdings Sdn Bhd for RM22.68 million, as part of a broader strategy to expand its regional footprint and strengthen its cybersecurity portfolio. The deal, which remains subject to internal restructuring, builds on a memorandum of understanding signed in April for joint product development and cross-selling of cybersecurity solutions across Malaysia and the wider region.
International recognition has followed these strategic moves. In August, LGMS was featured in Gartner’s Market Guide for Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR) Retainer Services, earning a spot among top global providers capable of handling complex cyber breach investigations and response operations. “This acknowledgement from Gartner is a moment of pride for both LGMS and Malaysia,” said Fong Choong Fook. “It demonstrates that a Malaysian company can operate at world-class standards and be relied upon by international clients in moments of critical need.” Gartner’s selection process is notoriously rigorous, evaluating firms on technical expertise, international certifications, and the ability to deliver end-to-end cybersecurity response services at scale.
Taken together, these developments highlight Malaysia’s growing role in the global cybersecurity landscape. BlackBerry’s training partnerships and LGMS’s innovative solutions both point to a future where local expertise and international collaboration are key to staying ahead of cyber threats. As digital economies mature and threats become more sophisticated, such partnerships—between governments, academia, and the private sector—are likely to become the new normal.
For now, the message is clear: Malaysia is not just keeping pace with cybersecurity trends, but actively shaping them, with homegrown companies and global partners working side by side to build a safer digital future.
