Strategic Integration of Signal Intelligence Technologies for Cyber Threat Attribution in Indonesian Government Systems: A Policy and Legal Framework for IMSI Catcher Deployment

Abstract

Abstract - Indonesia’s increasing digital dependency has exposed its government systems to sophisticated cyber threats, including the hijacking of official domains by transnational cybercriminals (Singh & Krishnan, 2021). Traditional cybersecurity defences often struggle with attribution and proactive mitigation due to anonymization, jurisdictional complexity, and the technical evasions used by threat actors (Rid & Buchanan, 2015). To address this critical capability gap, this study explores the strategic integration of signal intelligence (SIGINT) technologies—specifically International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) catchers—into Indonesia’s cyber defence framework.Using a policy-oriented qualitative methodology, this paper examines the operational potential, legal limitations, and ethical risks of deploying IMSI catchers to enhance threat attribution capabilities. It evaluates Indonesia’s existing cybersecurity governance structure—including regulatory anchors such as UU ITE and Perpres No. 82/2022—and compares policy benchmarks from Singapore, Estonia, and Israel, which have successfully embedded SIGINT into broader cyber strategies (Chong & Hall, 2022).Findings suggest that while IMSI catchers offer actionable intelligence-gathering capabilities, their deployment must be constrained by clear legal mandates, inter-agency protocols, and civil rights safeguards (Deibert, 2020; UN Special Rapporteur, 2019). This study proposes a strategic policy framework that enables lawful use of SIGINT tools to detect and attribute cyber threats against public digital infrastructure.The research contributes to global discourse on responsible surveillance in cybersecurity, offering actionable guidance for policymakers and intelligence stakeholders in emerging digital democracies seeking to secure state systems without compromising democratic values.