FG Tasks Stakeholders on Cybersecurity Management
The National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, has called on relevant stakeholders to be proactive in preventing cybersecurity threats in the country.
Ribadu said this on Tuesday at the Cybersecurity Forum, organised by the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) in Abuja.
The theme of the forum titled ” Intelligence Initiatives and Strategies for National Cyber Security Management’.
The NSA was represented by the Director of Communications, Office of the National Security Officer (ONSA), Maj.- Gen. Samad Akinsode,
He said: “Effective cyber security management hinges on robust intelligence. Others have invested in advanced straight intelligence platforms that enable us to gather, analyse and share critical threats intelligence with the relevant stakeholders.
“By leveraging on artificial intelligence, and machine learning, these platforms can predict potential cyber attacks and provide actionable insights.
” Cyber security is a collective responsibility that requires a whole of government and a whole of society approach. This simply tells us that cyber security is not one man’s business,” Ribadu said.
He said there was need to continue to conduct sensitisation and awareness programmes by educating citizens and businesses on cyber security hygiene while engaging public private sector collaboration as well.
Ribadu said NCS emergency response team known as the engine search which was the foundational component of the national cyber security coordination centre was the focal point for the national cyber incidents management.
“The engine search facilitates real-time exchange of threats intelligence best threats practices on cyber security related incidences with various stakeholders in the public and private domain.
“Furthermore, the engine search operates the national cyber emergency monitoring system for effective detection, identification and interception of cyber threats.
” It shares cyber threats intelligence with the sectoral computers security incident response team and other relevant private sector players for comprehensive responses as appropriate,” he said.
The Director-General, State Security Security (SSS), Alhaji Yusuf Bichi, said the importance of cyber security could not be over-emphasised, adding that the world continue to face different dimension of cyber threats.
Bichi, who was represented by the Director, Public Relations and Strategic Communication of DSS, Mr Peter Afunanya, said cyber security was meant for possible reasons but the criminally minded people had exploited the good purposes.
He said NCS was a strategic partner to DSS, saying that there was need to mitigate the challenges emanating from the cyber space particularly in area of national security management, financial crime, fake news and other manipulations .
Bichi called on NCS to look inward by carry out research to bring up solution to solve all activities of criminality, adding that the nation would be safer place.
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, who was represented, DSP Usman Iman, said cybercrimes being committed had necessitated for countries, agencies, organisations to come together to deliberate on safety and security in the cyber space.
The Director-General, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zacch Adedeji, advocated process improvement online as well as automation processes.
” Automation is double edge sword which presents the opportunity for service excellence and process improvement.
” The only mitigation we have is capacity training and building of our people both the end user and professionals and that is why this forum is of utmost importance because the human resources involved.
” It is not just investing naira on cyber security tools without building the capacity of the people,the investment will come to waste.”
The director-general was represented by the Director, Intelligence Strategic Data Mining and Analysis Development of Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Mr Kola Okunola.
He said the forum would give stakeholders opportunity to brainstorm on strategies on insider control, tools, techniques used in cyber space.
The President of NCS, Mr Muhammad Aliyu, said the purpose of the forum was to gather together to discuss national issues related to cybersecurity in the country.
He said NCS is an umbrella of all ICT professionals which thrives over the decades in promoting different ICT advancement in the country.
According to him, the cybersecurity forum and others are key flagship programmes of NCS. #FG Tasks Stakeholders on Cybersecurity Management
