Stakeholders Raise Concern over Increasing Rates of Cyber Attacks

Agnes Ekebuike

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) stakeholders have raised the concern over the increasing rate of cyber attacks across globe, while commending the federal government for investing massively on cybersecurity infrastructure and skills to protect Nigeria from cyber attacks. 

The stakeholders spoke at a national workshop, organised recently by FPG Technology and Solutions, and Checkpoints Technology, which was attended by representatives from the NNPCL, CBN, NITDA, Data Protection Commission and members of the Organized Private Sector (OPS). 

Speaking at the event, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of FPG Technology and Solutions, Mr. Rex Mafiana commended institutions of the federal government for their huge investments in Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) and assets to protect the nation’s cyber space. 

Mafiana lamented the increasing rates of cyber attacks across the globe, but expressed delight on measures put in place by the Nigerian government to be far ahead of cyber criminals. 

Speaking on how attacks are carried out by cyber criminals, the Chief Technology Officer for Checkpoints Technology, Mr. Issam El-Haddioui, explained that cyber criminals would always target information, intellectual properties, and financial data among others. 

He said the cyber criminals were motivated by either activism or financial gains, warning that most attacks begin from phishing and identity theft.

El Haddioui who oversees the operations of Checkpoints Technology in East and West Africa, said government authorities and the private sector should pay close attention to vulnerability level in different environments and adopt technologies capable of checkmating any form of attacks.