September 13, 2025 | 11:57 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) has affirmed that cyber threats are borderless and cannot be easily distinguished between attacks originating from abroad and those from within the country. Brigadier General Freddy Ardianzah, Head of the TNI Information Center, stated that the institution has a fundamental obligation to safeguard the national cyberspace as a core component of the country's defense.
"Cyber threats are borderless, just as the digital world knows no bounds. Threats can originate from abroad as well as from within the country," Freddy said in a written statement on Thursday, September 11, 2025
He noted that while foreign attacks are relatively easier to identify due to their traceable patterns of activity, threats from within the country are considered more complex. These domestic threats could disguise themselves as normal civilian activities, making them difficult to detect.
"Threats from within are difficult to detect and will face many challenges in terms of prevention and enforcement," Freddy stated.
Given the nature of cyber threats that do not respect territorial boundaries, the TNI emphasizes the importance of coordination with various other agencies. Freddy stressed the need for cross-sector cooperation, including with law enforcement agencies, government ministries, and civil society, to prevent digital threats before they cause serious disruptions.
"This cooperation is necessary to ensure that threats do not disturb national stability and can be detected early for preventive measures before they escalate and cause more severe damage," Freddy added.
Freddy's statement was a direct response to criticism from the Civil Society Coalition for Security Sector Reform. The coalition argued that the TNI had overstepped its authority when the TNI Cyber Unit Commander visited the Jakarta Metropolitan Police Headquarters to report alleged criminal activities by an online activist and CEO of Malaka Project, Ferry Irwandi.
For example, Al Araf, Chair of the Working Body of the Centra Initiative, believes that the severity of cyber attacks categorized as defense threats should be judged by a higher standard. He cited the Russia-Ukraine war as an example, where the digital space was utilized to address inter-state threats, ranging from prevention to enforcement.
"So, its function lies there, not in countering influencers or civilian demonstrations. If used as it is now, it is dangerous," said Al Araf when contacted on Thursday, September 11, 2025.
Furthermore, Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia, Usman Hamid, believes that the TNI is only authorized to handle cyber defense threats, such as digital attacks from abroad that threaten the national defense system.
According to him, cases related to cybersecurity threats within the country fall under the jurisdiction of civilian law enforcement. "If our national defense system is threatened by cyber attacks from abroad, that is TNI's duty. However, it should also involve the state's political decision," he stated on Tuesday, September 9, 2025.
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