Tag Archives: Cybercrime

Nigerians responsible for $9.3bn in global loss to cybercrime – CSEAN boss

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Nigeria is responsible for at least $9.3 billion out of the total global loss to the rising cybercrime, according to the President, Cyber Security Experts Association of Nigeria (CSEAN), Remi Afon.

Afon disclosed this at the National Cyber Security Awareness Month organised by the American Embassy in Lagos yesterday. While making reference to a report, he said that somebody’s identity is stolen every three seconds as a result of the menace.

Cybercrime was said to have surpassed illegal drug trafficking as a criminal means of making money around the world.

The CSEAN president, who also made references to Forbes and Cybersecurity Ventures, disclosed that cybercrime cost has been projected to reach $2 trillion by 2019, while damages that would emanate from the menace would hit $6 trillion by 2021.

Already, he said, it had been established that between 2012 and 2014, Nigeria lost N64 billion to cybercrimes, while on a yearly basis, the figure has risen by N127 million.

Afon, who said 89 per cent of breaches have a financial or espionage motive, noted that cyber crime prosecutions are picking up in the country. He explained that the menace comes in different forms, “including 419, phishing, social engineering, malware, cyber bullying and identity theft.”

He disclosed that phishing accounts for 83 per cent; compromised accounts, 63 per cent; web-based attacks 54 per cent; and client side attacks, 43 per cent.

According to him, it usually takes 146 days before a successful breach is detected, while 84 per cent of breaches are against the application layer. “Average cost of cybercrime is $7.7 million. About 95 per cent of enterprise attacks are through emails.”

The U.S. Consul-General, John Bray, said all around the globe, individuals, companies and governments have become victims of cyber attacks.

He said that it was for this reason that in 2009, President Barrack Obama urged an increase in education and dialogue about cybersecurity in the cyberspace security review.

“As part of this policy review, the Department of Homeland Security created an ongoing cybersecurity awareness campaign – Stop.Think.Connect.

“Stop.Think.Connect. is a national public campaign designed to raise awareness of cybersecurity and to be more vigilant about practising safe online habits.

“By joining the Stop.Think.Connect campaign, you will have connections to partners and subject matter experts who are committed to increasing online safety; cybersecurity tips, messaging, articles, and presentations; monthly discussions highlighting current cyber issues and trends,” he stated.

Bray stressed that the growing dependence on technology, coupled with the increasing threat of cyber-attacks and risks to privacy, demands greater security in online world. And by adopting and joining the campaign, he said people would better understand the risks that come with using the Internet and the importance of practising safe online behavior.

The Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, said cybersecurity has become an essential component of human activity. He stressed that its high level of complexity requires action at different levels (both virtual and physical) and by different actors (governments, private sector, civil society, intergovernmental organisations, among others.)

Danbatta, represented by the Director of Public Affairs at NCC, Tony Ojobo, said as the world approaches the end of the second decade of the 21st century, the challenges of a secure cyberspace are more daunting as threat actors are becoming more resourceful (both in terms of skillsets, competencies and available technologies), more brazen and determined to inflict maximal damage to their victims (who may be individuals, corporate organisations, enterprises, or even nations), and more pervasive in terms of their profiles.

Police To Create Special Unit To Tackle Cybercrime

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The Nigeria Police Force on Monday said it would create a Specialists Unit to deal with the rising cases of cybercrime in the country.

The Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, disclosed this at a three-day Training Workshop on Cybercrime for police officers in Abuja.

Idris was represented by AIG Umar Shehu, Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Intelligence department.

He said that the training further demonstrated the commitment of the force to check cybercrime in the country.

He said that the workshop would focus on scientific police investigation processes, tools and techniques for tackling cybercrime, among others.

“We are building on our existing forensic and cybercrime facilities in order to successfully tackle the menace of this complex crime.

“Apart from setting up a dedicated forensic and cybercrime unit, we are going to continue to educate our rank and file on ICT,“he said.

The I-G said that the force was also providing up-to-date training and retraining to the rank and file.

He said that there was a need for collaboration between the police and the Cybercrime Advisory Council Office and other stakeholders to check the threat.

He reiterated the commitment of the force to do everything within its powers to tackle cybercrime.

“As you can see, the challenges we face in policing cybercrime are multidimensional,“he said.

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Nigeria Loses 127 Billion Yearly To Cybercrime- Minister

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The Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu said Tuesday that Nigeria is losing about 127 billion naira annually to cybercrime and urged stakeholders in the Information and Communication Technology, ICT, industry to rise up to the challenge.

He also the Ministry in collaboration with the military is poised to use modern technology to fight insurgency, corruption and other crimes that pose a threat to Nigeria’s unity.

He spoke while declaring open the 26th edition of the National Conference of the Computer Society of Nigeria holding at NAF Centre, Abuja.

He told the gathering that all hands must be on the deck to face the challenges confronting the nation with the deployment of ICT, stressing that the theme of this year’s conference was more apt as “no nation can develop without safety and security.”

He said: “national safety and security further encompasses securing the nation’s cyber space. Our growing dependence on digital infrastructure introduces and poses grave threats to national security. It is quite shocking that Nigeria loses about N127 billion which is 0.08 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Products (GDP), yearly to cybercrime”.

He said further “Without safety and security, growth is impossible. “Information Technology for National Safety and Security”, the Conference theme, is highly relevant as it aligns with the National safety and security priority of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Securing lives and properties is both an enabler and an imperative for growth and development. Threats emanate from local and global terrorism which strikes fear and shatters the much needed national peace and security.

“Nobody, no organization can perform optimally under a cloud of fear. Uncertainties and raised anxieties strain our economy and society. We must however acknowledge successes recorded so far in the fight to keep Nigeria secure.

“It is appropriate that the efforts of the armed forces and the significant achievements in the fight against Boko Haram are recognized. Though the Nigerian Army is already using some technology platforms, there may be some requiring close attention by the conference.  The Ministry is also engaging with the Nigerian Army on possible technology collaboration to tackle the activities of insurgents and other security challenges in the country.

“Beyond military might, financial crimes and corruption are added burden to the national security challenges that threaten the very existence and development of the nation. In Public finance, the electronic platforms used by the Nigerian government such as the Treasury Single Account (TSA), the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) and the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) have resulted in significant savings and elimination of waste in governance.

“Though great strides have been made in these areas, there is still a lot to do to secure our dear nation. We all know that ICT is the globally recognized enabler in all spheres of development and it is most appropriate for NCS to step in by offering the nation an authentic platform to explore the role of ICT in national safety and security. Using ICT and Geographical Information System (GIS) to tackle Boko Haram, Niger Delta militancy and other security challenges with enhanced efficiency and professionalism has become a matter of paramount importance. ”

“As at today, ICT is currently contributing up to 10 percent of Nigeria’s GDP and had created over 10 million jobs in the past 10 years. Developments in the ICT sector have provided well over $32 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) over the last 15 years. It is indeed one of the fastest growing sectors of the Nigerian economy which is the second largest ICT market in Africa.  The number of Internet subscribers in Nigeria also rose from less than one million in 2003 to over 80 million in November 2015,” the Minister added.

Credit: TheNation

NSA, Microsoft Team Up To Tackle Cyber Crime In Nigeria

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Worried with the increasing cybercrime that cause more economic harm than good in Nigeria, platforms and productivity services giant, Microsoft Nigeria has joined forces with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and other industry stakeholders, to tackle the ugly trend.

 
With over N159 billion lost by Nigerians through online scam and identity theft between 2000 and 2013 as well as 2,175 websites defaced within the same period, in a cybersecurity capacity building workshop organised last week in Abuja between Microsoft and NSA, participants agreed that there was need for education and awareness intervention for security and law enforcement and other ICT regulatory agencies in Nigeria for enhancing the security of the country’s cyberspace so as to checkmate cybercrime promptly.

 

Earlier in his welcome speech, the National Security Adviser, Major Babagana Monguno, represented by Barrister. Isaac Idu, Director of Internal Security in the office said, “The cyberspace virtual global domain while dismantling barriers to commerce, is increasingly transforming our economy and security posture, creating opportunities for innovations and the means to improve general welfare of the citizens.

 
Since cybersecurity had taken the dimension of global phenomena which requires concerted efforts of both the private and public strategy to tame it, Major Monguno expressed happiness that Microsoft as a key partner is aligning itself with ONSA to provide a secure online space in the country as part of efforts to ensure security strategy to secure the cyber space.
Reiterating that the workshop was part of government’s renewed measures towards safeguarding the nation’s presence in cyberspace and ensuring protection of the national critical information infrastructure, Monguno explained that the Federal Government was determined to confront the threats in the Nigerian cyberspace, uphold and support the openness of the cyberspace as well as balance security with respect to privacy and fundamental rights.
In his address, the Managing Director, Microsoft Nigeria, Mr. Kabelo Makwane said the partnership on the cybersecurity capacity building workshop was borne out of the desire to support ONSA, Federal Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies ( MDAs), to grow capacity with respect to global approaches to national cybersecurity strategy, addressing cybersecurity risks through amongst others computer emergency response Team (CERT) management, security and privacy of data in the cloud, cybersecurity forensics and audit skills, global policy and legal developments, cloud computing and its benefits, growing local data hosting capabilities, in line with the new Nigerian cybercrime law, the Cybercrime Act 2015.
According to Makwane, ONSA’s National Cybersecurity Strategy (NCSS) closely aligns with Microsoft’s ambition to provide a safe, secure and resilient online environment.
For the Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Mr. Peter Jack, the agency had established the NITDA’s cert.NG centre to police the cyberspace.
He added that the agency is constantly involved in critical role in capacity building through the agency’s Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) centres established in 2014, adding, “We are also concerned and have started the Child Online Campaign.
Security policy
We believe strongly in multi stakeholders strategy, as we have worked closely with ONSA in formulating the national cyber-security policy formulation and documents”.
According to him, NITDA has also concluded plans to collaborate with ONSA to develop a framework aimed at addressing child online abuse in the country.
He said: “We wait eagerly to call all the stakeholders to have the Cybercrime Council inaugurated and then we can make progress.”
Noting that the time had come for multi-stakeholder’s strategy to combat all forms of cybercrimes and identity theft, Jack disclosed that of the 2,175 websites that had been defaced, 585 were actually government websites.
Meanwhile, conscious of the diversity of implications of the nation’s risk exposure in cyberspace, the Federal Government as a matter of urgency had put in place cohesive measures towards addressing the emerging risks effectively.

 

Credit : Vanguard