The National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, has listed ways it has been ensuring safe cyberspace for digital economy growth.
It said they were through prompt awareness, leveraging trusted resources and implementing a response plan for Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, of government.
The Director-General of NITDA, Mr Kashifu Inuwa, revealed this while participating in a Webinar organised by Digital Jewel Limited, an information value chain consulting and capacity building firm.
The webinar, monitored by the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, was in commemoration of NITDA’s 20th anniversary.
The anniversary is under the theme: ‘Cyber Risk and Cybersecurity; for Cloud Governance and Security, Cybersecurity Trends, Threats and Failsafe Measures.’
Inuwa explained that Cybersecurity was very essential for Digital Economy and Digital Transformation within the government, thus making the cyber space secured by building the confidence of citizens.
“NITDA’s Computer Emergency Response Team (CERRT) has been playing a critical role toward curbing the menace of cyberattacks.
“This is through prompt awareness, cybersecurity tips, monitoring intrusion, leveraging trusted resources, and implementing a response plan for Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
“The Federal Government has put in place policies that will curb the menace of cyber attacks through Cybercrime Prohibition, Prevention, Act 2015, and National Security Agency Computer Emergency Response Team.
“Also are NITDA’s Computer Emergency Response Team (MDA’s), Central Bank of Nigeria Computer Emergency Response Team, and others.
“Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility and requires the attention of a broad range of stakeholders.
“It requires an effective public and private partnership that incorporates businesses and institutions of all sizes along with national, state, local, tribal and territorial agencies.
“This is to produce successful outcomes in identifying and addressing threats, vulnerabilities and overall risk in cyberspace,” he said.
Similarly, Ms Adedoyin Odunfa, said in her presentation that the top 2021 Cybersecurity threat prediction from the Rise of Ransomware made every employee susceptible to ransomware attack, regardless of roles.
According to her, with the remote workforce exploitation, having employees work from home, there is the temptation for hackers to target vulnerable remote workers.
Adedoyin, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Digital Jewels Limited, advised that there should be Cyber Hygiene whereby weekly scan should be done to ensure nothing was left exposed on the computer.
She added that biggest threats of cyberattacks emanated from humans, while the biggest assets were also people and human capacity and should be put in good use for safer cyber space.
Adedoyin, however, commended NITDA for the various initiatives put in place toward the growth and development of Information Technology across the country, hence, changing the way things were done.
Mr Yahuza Ahmed, Assistant Director Cybersecurity Department of NITDA, said that ransomware attack was on the increase, affecting the operations of internet activities around the world.
Ahmed said that government organisations that provide services such as National Identity Management Commission, Galaxy Backbone, among others, needed to check delivery channels.
He added that the organisations also needed to check online presence, mobile presence, Automated Teller Machines, amongst others, to improve services that were being rendered to the general public.
NITDA was established April 18, 2001 with the mandate to implement the Nigerian Information Technology Policy and co-ordinate general IT development in the country.
