God forbids! Any cyber attack on Nigeria’s critical infrastructure will shut down the country because she lacks any form of protection, according to ICT and security experts who should know.
Waxing worriedly, they said that the cyber-attack that paralysed computers of South Korean television channels and crippled the network of the country’s largest banks point to the clear and present danger of cyber terrorism.
Cyber terrorism is the use of Internet based attacks in terrorist activities, including acts of deliberate, large-scale disruption of computer networks, especially of personal computers attached to the Internet, by the means of tools such as computer viruses.
Unites States military claimed that cyber and nuclear attacks are now greater threat than terrorism.
In Nigeria either by ignorance or lack of knowledge or both; the federal government has been unable to secure its official websites thus raising questions over claims by the government of efforts to reduce the growing threat of violation of its digital presence.
Chris Uwaje, president, Institute Software Practitioners of Nigeria (Ispon), told Nigeria CommunicationsWeek that cyber terrorism is real and must be taken serious.
In the past, notable official government websites including that of National Information Technology Development Agency (Nitda), the country’s clearing house for IT projects have been comprised by hackers.
Samuel Adeleke, president, Internet Service Providers Association of Nigeria (Ispan) warned that a situation where a country is unable to dictate intrusion into its network is worrisome.
There are great concerns about potential damages that could be caused by cyber terrorism, and this has prompted official responses from responsible governments around the world.
Mohammed Rudman, managing director, Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN) said Nigeria is not prepared for any cyber attack be it at individual or national level as there is no agency that is to co-ordinate response to cyber attacks as well as advice on how to prevent attacks.
Nodding in agreement, Uwaje, said that Nigeria needs to be prepared for any cyber attack and such preparedness should come in the area of building high technical skill.
Uwaje called for the setting up of “ethical hackers” to protect networks by hacking and stealing vital information and later returning them to show their vulnerability.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek gathered that cyber attacks are expected to increase this year cyber criminals target other people’s money and cyber terrorists seek to bring down countries.
Rudman said that Nigeria needs an agency that will be able to handle cyber security issues as well as train and co-ordinate activities of Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT).
Elsewhere, Bayo Banjo, president, Nigeria Internet Group (NIG) advocated paradigm shift in the recruitment of security operatives especially in Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and said attention should be focused on recruiting young people with knowledge in cyber security.
From Internet Service Providers Association of Nigeria point of view, Adeleke warned on the use of foreign experts in protecting Nigeria’s cyber space.