CSM to help flood victims recover their data

• Ops Jelajah (Explore) Cyber convoy heads off for first destination
• To help flood victims retrieve digital information from damaged equipment

THE Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, through its national cybersecurity specialist centre CyberSecurity Malaysia (CSM), will offer data recovery services to residents of the east coast states of Peninsular Malaysia, which were hit by floods in late 2014.
 
The services come under a CSM corporate social responsibility programme known as ‘Ops Jelajah (Explore) Cyber,’ the agency said in a statement.

The programme is intended to help victims of the floods retrieve their digital information that would have been destroyed when the floods damaged their computers, mobile phones, SIM and memory cards.
 
“The recent floods affected residents both mentally and physically. During the first phase of recovery, they focused on restoring their homes and replacing home appliances, clothing and furniture,” said Dr Ewon Ebin, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation.
 
“Once the basic amenities have been restored, the residents can now shift their attention to their damaged ICT devices.
 
“We encourage flood victims to come forward and seek our help. We will be there to help them recover the destroyed data from their computer and mobile devices,” he added.
 
The services include diagnostics; the recovery of data from USB thumb drives, external hard disks, SIM and memory cards; data sanitisation; as well as information sessions on data management, cybersecurity and incident handling through CSM’s Cyber999 help centre.
 
Data recovery process offered through this programme depends on the level and type of damage suffered, CSM cautioned.
 
“If it involves physical damage, it can be restored with the replacement of the mechanical or electrical components involved; and if it involves logical damage, it can be restored by repairing the file system of the digital storage media involved,” said CSM chief executive officer Dr Amirudin Abdul Wahab.

“We invite the public to bring their digital storage media, such as USB thumb drives, external hard disks and memory cards. They only need to bring their MyKAD (national identity card) for registration purposes, and list down the types of data or files to be repaired such as Microsoft Office, multimedia files, and so on.
 
“They are also requested to bring along a new USB thumb drive, external hard disk, hard disk or memory card to save the successfully recovered data,” he added.

The Ops Jelajah Cyber convoy left the compound of CSM’s office in Seri Kembangan, heading towards its first location – Kota Baru in the state of Kelantan – on March 12. Its next destinations are Terengganu and Pahang.
 
Ops Jelajah Cyber is supported by the state governments of Kelantan, Pahang, and Terengganu, and has also received support from industry players such as Prisma Khas, Myung Inovasi Terkini, WS Mentari, and Trends Integrated.
 
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