The weakness of the cyber world lies in its weakness – ACDRO

General News of Sunday, July 21st, 2019

Source: ghananewsagency.org

2019-07-21

Mr. Kenneth Adu-Amanfoh, Executive Director of the Organization for the Promotion of Cybersecurity in Africa (ACDRO), said:

He said that in the cyber world, as in the real world, there were many risks and dangers; adding that financial crimes would be committed whenever there would be money to be made and that criminals like hackers would spare no effort to penetrate the cyber-world's defense in order to steal or to fly.

Mr. Adu-Amanfoh, who spoke at the second workshop on cybersecurity of civil society organizations (CSOs) in Accra, said that hackers could choose to attack customers and financial companies at any time. moment and anywhere, because the virtual world is highly interconnected.

He said that cyber attacks could take many different forms; stating that the frequently used method was to try to mislead customers by asking them to disclose their account information and pbadwords, or to introduce malicious programs into their computers and cell phones to steal their access information then the hackers would transfer money from the accounts of the victims.

The workshop was organized by ACDRO in partnership with Global Partners Digital (GPD) on the theme "Developing our National Citizen Center Policy and Strategy for Cybersecurity".

The aim of the workshop was to provide civil society organizations with in-depth knowledge to make a significant contribution to the national cybersecurity policy and strategy in order to be more citizen-centered and to promote human rights. digital citizens.

This second CSO workshop follows the successful organization of the first one last February, focused on awareness raising.

"It's hard for us to imagine how fast digital and Internet technologies have transformed the way we live," said Mr. Adu-Amanfoh.

"Twenty years ago, many of us wondered whether Internet banking would be widely accepted as a preferred and trusted means of banking. At present, it would be difficult to imagine how a retail bank can survive a single day if Internet or digital banking is down for any reason. "

He added that given the virtual nature and interdependence of the cyber world, it is clear that the security of the latter would require a different approach and tools from those used in the physical world.

"In the real world, you would protect your home and property by installing a safe door with a powerful lock. You may want to buy a safe to store your money and valuables at home. Some may even subscribe to an anti-burglary system. For those who take the safety of their homes even more seriously, they can hire security guards on site, just like the kings and queens who build heavily guarded forts to protect them and their families from attacks from their homes. enemies, "he said.

"Well, one thing is certain, all these security measures are not cheap, but it's the price to pay for people to know that they have to pay for the protection of their physical properties. "

He said cybersecurity today was high on the list of priorities in many countries and efforts were being made around the world to mitigate the risks of cyber attacks.

He said cyberthreat was ubiquitous and concerned all areas because the Internet has become the main mode of communication today.

He added that although many are unaware, several attacks have been launched from their cell phones and personal computers due to lack of cybersecurity culture.

Adu-Amafoh said the country could be seen as fertile ground for launching cyber-attacks, while the threat and the introduction of medial measures would erase this perception.

He added that while the Internet has become a powerful tool for sharing information, self-expression and communication, the rise of cyber threats outweighs the enjoyment of rights and privacy. freedom of the internet.

Ms. Lea Kaspar, Executive Director of GPD, said that GPD's Cyber ​​Capacity Building program aimed to make online decision-making processes in the world more open and inclusive.

Major-General Francis Adu-Amanfoh, President of ACDRO, and Ghana's Ambbadador to Mali, said that the rights of citizens in cyberspace should be included in cybersecurity strategies.