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Cyber Crooks Threatens National Security with RAT

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Despite recent moves by Nigeria to enact a cyber crime law to combat the global scourge, a study by Symantec – the leading security firm, shows the rogues are inventing more ingenuous routes to unleash terror on government infrastructures and multinational operations.

Katie Beck, Symantec’s group PR manager, EMEA Mid-Size & Growth Countries Corporate Communications stated that cyber criminals are getting more sophisticated in their deployment of technology at beating the system.

“Cybercriminal operations are becoming increasingly sophisticated, a trend that is likely to continue in the future.”

The Symantec study on new trends of cyber attacks show criminals deploying remote access Trojan (RAT). In one instance, RAT was configured to contact a command-and-control (C&C) server located in Ukraine (one of the nations from the defunct Soviet Union legacy).

Using the RAT, the attacker immediately took control of an office administrative assistant’s infected computer. This way, “they logged keystrokes, viewed the desktop, and browsed and exfiltrated files.”

Nigeria’s vulnerability is made worst by the fact that government businesses are conducted via open email infrastructure across the nation.

Most ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) rather than use dedicated platforms for official government-to-government businesses, use open sources like yahoomail for official transactions.

According to the Symantec study, “Mobile Wi-Fi hotspots act like GSM cellular radios (equivalent to a GSM phone) that can provide Internet access to a computer system through the mobile phone network.

This potentially provides anonymity for the attacker if the GSM SIM card for the mobile Wi-Fi hotspot is purchased in cash at a bazaar or private sale. Many 3G providers around the world allow the purchasing of a prepaid data plan without verifying the identity of the buyer. As a result, telecom records will not lead to an individual.”

But a senior corporate communications staff of a leading mobile operator in Lagos pleading anonymity told Nigeria CommunicationsWeek it was unlikely to have some purchase a prepaid data plan without his details properly verified.

When confronted with facts that pre-registered SIM cards are sold in the open market across operators platforms, he insisted that it was not possible.

Roselyn Isimeto, a Computer Science lecturer at the University of Lagos noted that cyber crime is a scourge of the new age and nations need to invest in IT infrastructure to keep attacks at minimal levels.

She noted that Nigeria’s critical economic infrastructure in key sectors like oil and gas, telecommunications, electricity, aviation and finance are at risk of major knock down by cyber crooks.

Beck noted that attackers usually begin by “compromising systems within an organization using their RAT. Once the systems were infected with the RAT, the attacker retrieved identifying information, including disaster recovery plans, of the organization’s bank and telecom providers, its points of contact with both providers and its bank and telecom account data.

“Using this data, the attacker was able to impersonate a company representative and called the organization’s telecom provider. They proved their authenticity to the telecom provider, claimed that a physical disaster had occurred and said that they needed all of the organization’s phone numbers to be redirected to attacker-controlled phones.”

But Nigeria said it is working on a law to curb the menace.

Labaran Maku, minister of information stated that the “objective of the (new) cyber crime law (2003) is to prove an effective, unified and comprehensive legal, regulatory and institutional framework for the prohibition, prevention, detection, prosecution and punishment of cyber crimes in Nigeria – promote cyber security and ensure the protection of critical national information infrastructure.”

Maku says “there is need for cooperation and international coalition to combat cyber crimes. Cyber crimes are species of cross-border crimes perpetrated in time and space from any geographical spot in the world.”

Consequently, he noted that the new Nigerian cyber crime law is bring the country to the fulfillment of the ‘Budapest Convention on Cyber crime and reflects Nigeria’s obligations under the soon-to-be fomalised African Union (AU) Convention on the subject matter.”

 

 
 


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Telcos Record N27Bn Loss from Damaged Fibre Cables

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Repairs and revenue losses from damaged cables are estimated to have cost Nigeria’s telecom industry almost N27bn ($23m) in 2023, according to documents obtained by Bloomberg.

Telcos Record N27Bn Loss from Damaged Fibre Cables

MTN Nigeria, the biggest wireless operator in Africa’s most-populous nation, and Airtel Africa Plc bore the brunt of the costs, the documents show.

MTN suffered more than 6,000 cuts on its fiber cable last year, the documents show.

On Feb. 28, a cut in its network in three different locations by a road construction firm, an oil serving company, and someone burning rubbish in a manhole meant customers faced more than five hours of data and voice outages.

The operator relocated 2,500 kilometers (1,553 miles) of vulnerable fiber cables between 2022 and 2023, at a cost of more than N11bn —enough to build 870 kilometers of new fiber lines in areas without coverage.

Broadband fibre optic cables form the backbone of modern communication infrastructure, enabling the high-speed data transmission that underpins a wide range of personal, business, and societal activities.

On several occasions, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the industry regulator, has acknowledged this challenge and expressed willingness to work on measures to address it.

These measures include stricter regulations to deter vandalism and improved collaboration between telcos and government agencies responsible for construction activities.

According to the NCC, the telecom sector will make up more than a fifth of the country’s gross domestic product by the end of 2027, up from 13.5 per cent in the third quarter of last year.


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NCAIR Relaunch: Pantami, Tijani Fight for Credit

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Isa Pantami, former minister of Communications and Digital Economy, has voiced his discontent over the relaunch of the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR) by Bosun Tijani, his successor.

Isa Pantami, former minister of Communications and Digital Economy,

Tijani announced the revitalization of NCAIR, highlighting enhancements in its capacity and partnerships with global tech firm Cisco.

However, Pantami took to social media to assert that NCAIR was already established during his tenure in November 2020, dubbing it “the first of its kind in Africa” and emphasizing its effectiveness in training numerous Nigerians.

Tijani responded by detailing the new initiatives accompanying the relaunch, including increased computing infrastructure, dedicated research labs, and remote connectivity for AI hubs across the country. He also unveiled outcomes from the Ministry’s National AI Workshop, such as the country’s first Multilingual Large Language Model and partnerships aimed at accelerating AI development projects of national significance.

The exchange between Pantami and Tijani underscores ongoing efforts to advance AI research and application in Nigeria while navigating questions of continuity and leadership transition within the Ministry.

 


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ABoICT Lecture 2024 to Focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI) In A Digital Economy

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This year’s Africa’s Beacon of ICT Merit and Leadership lecture will focus on the role of artificial intelligence in a digital economy with the theme: “Artificial Intelligence (AI): The Good, The Complex and The Anticipated”.

The lecture which will herald Africa’s Beacon of ICT Merit and Leadership Awards hold on May 25, 2024 at Four Points by Sheraton.

The sixteenth edition of the award ceremony according Ken Nwogbo, editor-in-chief of Nigeria CommunicationsWeek the organizers of the event, “is a special edition to recognize and celebrate organizations and individuals in the ICT industry that have been distinguished in delivery innovative services in the sector.

“Most of these organizations and individuals have consistently being voted by our readers as leaders in their areas of operations and we have decided to reward them in this especial edition”.

He added that, AI is considered to have the potential to instigate a fourth industrial revolution,1 and is dramatically changing people’s patterns of interaction and economic activities.

“The traditional factors of production and physical capital and labour may no longer promote substantial economic growth. It is generally believed that AI will be one of the most important factors determining future economic growth.

“However, unlike traditional machines, which replaced the use of human and animal labor for simple manual work and heavy or dangerous activities, AI-related inputs may change the type of human work in a comprehensive way.

“In contrast to previous industrial revolutions, AI does not simply involve the invention of a new machine or technology. Instead, AI has similarities to the accumulation of human capital, as it can learn and accumulate knowledge by itself,” he said.

The Africa’s Beacon of ICT Merit and Leadership Distinguished Lecture is designed to explore efforts to put Nigeria on the global Information and Communications Technologies map.

The lecture series however is reserved for distinguished achievers in the ICT sector.

Past lecturers included Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, then executive vice chairman, Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC); Engr. Yomi Bolarinwa, former Director-General of National Broadcasting Commission (NBC); Dr. Jean Luc Fort, CEO at OR System France and a specialist in Counterparty Risk; and Professor Chris Nwagboso, Chairman, Knowledge Factory International, United Kingdom.

Others are: Uche Orji, managing director/chief executive officer, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA); Biodu Omoniyi, Managing Director/CEO, VDT Communications; Ayotunde Coker, Managing Director, Rack Centre Limited; Peter Adedayo Arogundade, managing director and chief executive officer, Sidmach Technologies Nigeria Limited; Dr. Adewale Obadare, chief visionary officer, Digital Encode and John Obaro, CEO and founder of Systemspecs; Prof. Isa Pantanmi, minister of Communications and Digital Economy; among others.


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