The Future of Cybersecurity in Southeast Asia along the Maritime Silk Road

Abstract: This paper proposes an analysis of the prospects of the cyber security industry and educational ecosystems in four Southeast Asian countries, namely Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia, which are along the Maritime Silk Road, by using two novel metrics: the "Cybersecurity Education Prospects Index" (CEPI) and the "Cybersecurity Industry Prospects Index" (CIPI). The CEPI evaluates the state of cybersecurity education by assessing the availability and quality of cybersecurity degrees together with their ability to attract new students. On the other hand, the CIPI measures the potential for the cybersecurity industry's growth and development by assessing the talent pool needed to build and sustain its growth. Ultimately, this study emphasizes the vital importance of a healthy cybersecurity ecosystem where education is responsible for supporting the industry to ensure the security and reliability of commercial operations in these countries against a complex and evolving cyber threat landscape.