Telecom
Cisco Urges Businesses to Adopt Advanced Methods of Cybersecurity
Cisco has called on businesses to adopt security measures and to take a comprehensive approach across people, process, technology and policy to protect their businesses from hackers and cyber criminals.
The company made this call at an event held at the Cisco Office, Victoria Island, Lagos on Wednesday.
The company said that this became necessary following the findings reported in the recently released Cisco 2018 Annual Cybersecurity Report which identified the evolution of ransomware as one of the most significant threat developments over the past year.
The report also highlighted that malware had become more vicious and harder to combat and that attackers are developing more skill in creating malware that can evade traditional sandboxing.
It also revealed that adversaries are increasingly embracing encryption – meant to enhance security – to conceal command-and-control activity and that nearly half of the security risk that organizations face stems from having multiple security vendors and products.
Olakunle Oloruntimehin, General Manager of Cisco Nigeria, Speaking at the event, explained the need for businesses and enterprises to adopt advanced methods of cybersecurity.
He said, “Security is getting more complex and the scope of breaches is expanding.
“Several companies are hit by cyber breaches and attacks every year causing losses in millions of naira and stealing highly classified information.
“It is therefore imperative that any organization that desires to stay safe and minimize risk or loss address cybersecurity at the top, with executive leadership setting the tone and engender a ‘security-first-always-and-everywhere’ culture that flows throughout the organization.”
The Cisco 2018 Security Capabilities Benchmark Study reveals that 94 percent of companies in the Middle East and Africa suffered a breach in the past year and that 34 percent of breaches in resulted in more than half of systems being impacted.
The study also indicated that nearly a quarter of organisations in the region manage more than 21 vendors and cite lack of security personnel as one of the biggest obstacles to security.
Corroborating the importance of robust cybersecurity practices, Tomi Amao, Systems Engineer and Security expert at Cisco, said “Cisco researchers observed a two-fold increase in malicious web traffic volume in roughly over 12-months.
“This alone demonstrates that cyber adversaries continue to learn and evolve.
“The time to raise the bar in cybersecurity is now. That is why at Cisco we take pride in being able to educate and provide businesses with the solutions and best practices required for effective cybersecurity.
“Our threat researchers have a reputation for timely, accurate and innovative work, and our network of talented teams are devoted to driving impactful outcomes for our customers.”
The Cisco 2018 Annual Cybersecurity Report, now in its eleventh year, offers security industry data, analysis and insights about attacker behavior over the past year.
The report highlights findings and insights derived from threat intelligence and cybersecurity trends observed over the past 12-18 months and provides recommendations designed to help organizations and users defend against attacks.
Cisco has an integrated and comprehensive portfolio of security technologies to provide advanced threat protection.
Cisco technologies include next generation firewalls, intrusion prevention systems (IPS), secure access systems, security analytics, and malware defense; which work together to deliver effective network security and incident response.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Enugu State Government have signed an agreement for the operational lease of the NCC Digital Industrial Park and NCC Learning Centre in Enugu.
The agreement was witnessed by Dr Aminu Maida, Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, alongside members of the Commission’s Board and Management.
The development is expected to strengthen digital innovation, skills development and technology-driven opportunities in the state.
As part of the engagement, the NCC delegation also visited the Enugu Smart School Initiative, where technology is being integrated into teaching and learning.
The initiative is aimed at equipping young Nigerians with relevant digital skills and preparing them for future opportunities in an increasingly technology-driven economy.
The NCC said it remained committed to supporting initiatives that expand digital inclusion, strengthen innovation and develop the talent required to drive Nigeria’s digital transformation.
The Commission said partnerships with state governments and other stakeholders were critical to creating an enabling environment for digital skills development and technology adoption across the country.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed telecommunications operators to make dedicated budgetary provisions for cybersecurity as part of efforts to strengthen the resilience of Nigeria’s communications infrastructure against the growing wave of cyber threats.
The directive forms part of the Commission’s Cyber Resilience Framework for the Nigerian Communications Sector (CRF-NCS), which introduces new governance, risk management and operational requirements aimed at safeguarding the country’s critical telecommunications infrastructure from increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks.
Under the framework, all licensed telecom operators are expected to establish formal cybersecurity governance structures, dedicate adequate financial resources to cyber resilience programmes, and integrate cybersecurity into their enterprise-wide risk management processes.
The Commission said operators must ensure cybersecurity investments are no longer treated as optional operational expenses but as strategic business priorities necessary to protect network infrastructure, customer information and the country’s digital economy.
According to the NCC, licensees are expected to allocate sufficient budgets to support cyber risk assessments, security technologies, staff training, incident response capabilities, continuous monitoring and compliance with regulatory requirements.
The framework also requires operators to designate senior executives responsible for cybersecurity oversight.
At the same time, boards of directors are expected to provide strategic direction and ensure adequate funding for cyber resilience initiatives.
Speaking on the need for a stronger cybersecurity regime during the unveiling of the framework, Abraham Oshadami, executive commissioner, Technical Services, NCC, said, “Given the increasing digitalisation of services, the rapid growth of data exchange, and the sophisticated nature of modern cyber threats, the need for a robust, adaptive and inclusive cybersecurity framework has become more urgent.”
He added, “Both state and non-state actors are targeting essential sectors—including ours—through coordinated cyber and physical attacks. These attacks frequently target control systems and data integrity, underscoring the critical risks posed to operational technology (OT), especially in our sector.”
“As cyber threats evolve, they endanger not only system performance but also human safety, amplifying the severity and consequences of disruptions to vital communications infrastructure. Cybersecurity now encompasses human safety and must address the real risk to people’s lives when a system is attacked or compromised.”
The Commission further stated that operators are required to develop comprehensive cybersecurity implementation plans, conduct periodic risk assessments, establish business continuity and disaster recovery procedures, and regularly test their cyber defence capabilities.
In addition, the framework makes cyber incident reporting compulsory. Licensees must inform the NCC’s CSIRT of any major cybersecurity breach within four hours of discovery, and provide a thorough post-incident analysis after mitigation is complete.
Digital solution provider, Globacom has recorded the highest Internet subscriber growth among Nigeria’s major telecom companies for the month of May.
Data from the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Nigeria’s total Internet users increased to 157 million in May, up from 154.3 million in April. That is a growth of 2.67 million users in one month.
Globacom led the market by adding about 1.2 million new Internet subscribers. This means Glo was responsible for almost half of all new Internet users in May.
The company’s subscriber base grew from 15.5 million in April to 16.8 million in May. Airtel came second with 1.07 million new users, moving from 54.8 million to 55.8 million. MTN added 382,894 users to reach 83.5 million.
T2 Mobile, formerly 9mobile, recorded no growth for the second month in a row. Its subscriber base remained at 802,534. This is despite its roaming agreement with MTN, which was approved almost a year ago to help T2 customers use MTN’s network in areas with poor coverage.
Industry experts say Glo’s strong growth is due to its ongoing network upgrade. Since last year, the company has been building new base stations, expanding its fibre network, and adding thousands of new 4G sites across cities and rural areas.
The upgrades have improved voice and data quality for customers, while Globacom remain committed to providing better network experience and affordable Internet services to more Nigerians.
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