The U.S. Consulate in Medan partnered with Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU) to hold a cybersecurity workshop titled “Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience for Regional Stability” on Thursday (May 15). The hybrid event took place at the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) Hall, UMSU, located on Jalan Muchtar Basri No.3, Medan.
The workshop featured Dr. Paulus Wahjudi, Ph.D., Professor of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering from Marshall University’s Institute of Cyber Security. The event was attended by UMSU Vice Rector III Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rudianto, M.Si, U.S. Consulate official Bernard Uad, and students from UMSU’s International Class and Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology (FIKTI).
In his opening remarks, Bernard Uad expressed appreciation for the collaboration with UMSU. He noted that the rapid advancement of digital technology has transformed how people live, work, and interact—but these advancements also bring significant cybersecurity threats to critical systems and data.
“With technological progress comes an increase in cyber threats—from data breaches and ransomware to state-sponsored attacks. The world is currently facing an unprecedented level of cyber risk,” he stated.
He emphasized that workshops like this play a vital role in raising awareness and strengthening collective and cross-regional capacities to respond to cyber threats.
During his presentation, Dr. Paulus Wahjudi delivered an in-depth session on the vital role of securing critical infrastructure in maintaining regional stability. He explained how interconnected modern sectors—such as logistics, transportation, finance, and e-commerce—are all heavily reliant on digital infrastructure.
“Many of us may not realize that even a minor disruption to cloud systems or digital services can trigger a major domino effect. For instance, if platforms like Gojek or Lazada go down due to a cyberattack, it could immediately impact economic activity,” he explained.
Dr. Paulus also highlighted real-world cases, including a major cyber incident in 2024 that saw one of the world’s largest cloud service providers suffer outages from a coordinated server attack.
He stressed that cyberattacks are not one-dimensional. Often, multiple attack types occur simultaneously, making detection and mitigation more complex. This, he said, calls for a strategic and collaborative approach involving governments, academic institutions, and the private sector.
UMSU Vice Rector III, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rudianto, M.Si, previously underscored the importance of international cooperation in building awareness and capacity to address the growing complexity of cyber threats.
“It is an honor for Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara to host such a crucial event. This partnership reflects our shared belief in the power of education, dialogue, and international collaboration in confronting global challenges,” he remarked.
He also expressed gratitude for the ongoing support of the U.S. Consulate, which has been actively involved in academic exchanges and educational programs at UMSU. He hopes the event will broaden students’ horizons and strengthen institutional ties between the two entities.
This workshop not only served as an academic forum but also as a strategic platform for fostering collaboration among academics, cybersecurity professionals, and cross-sector stakeholders. Participants gained valuable insights into the importance of building robust digital defenses to safeguard social and economic stability.
Through this initiative, UMSU and the U.S. Consulate reaffirmed their commitment to advancing cybersecurity capabilities in Indonesia, particularly among students and higher education institutions.
