Stakeholders are convening a National Information Security Conference (NgSecure 2012) on October 11 and 12, at the International conference Centre? in Abuja on to design strategies to ensure greater cyber security.? The forum is being put together by Infosecurity Digest Magazine with support from the Computer Forensic Institute.
?Experts in the information communication sector are calling for Nigeria to borrow from countries like the United States of America (USA) and enact laws that address cyber security in the light of new and emerging technology.? They want existing bills such as the Patriot Act in the National Assembly to be passed.
Similarly, there are mounting concerns that awareness of information security issues among the online community of users in Nigeria remains relatively low. People do not understand vulnerabilities, specific threats and reporting is also a problem.
With the theme, ‘Protecting National Security and Information Technology Infrastructure in Nigeria through Global Best Practices’, the two-day NgSecure 2012forum focuses on online threat and privacy issues, among others.
US-based Nigerian? information security expert, Longe Olumide Babatope, remarked, in a statement made to journalists, that organisations spend little or nothing on information system security while in cases where there is budgeting for such, services are outsourced.??
“NgSecure 2012 is clearly focused on building a platform for all the necessary agencies, both in the private and public sector, together with individuals and groups to help provide strategies, policies, technologies and information to mitigate growing security concerns. The conference organisers have on its panel seasoned security experts both in the academic and professionals actively engaged in the field,” he stressed.
Babatope, who is a member of the advisory board of the National Information Security Conference, went on: “The implications of prolonged cyber attack targeted at utilities and other emerging electronic infrastructure such as satellites, GSM systems, e-banking systems, etc, in our nation are not issues discussed at governmental levels. We have also not addressed the issue of cyber espionage, cyber-based terrorism, etc. There is so much that needs to be done in our nation in the area of awareness, development of manpower for cyber security and building a critical mass of experts to address vulnerabilities in our cyber systems,” he noted.
On terrorism and national security, coordinator of the confab, Mr. Kayode Eyinade, noted that a special NgSecure panel on terrorism would address some of the challenges, trends and roles to be played by the various groups to achieve a way forward on the issue at the conference, which takes place in Abuja.
He said: “NgSecure 2012 will bring the security issues, answers and thought leaders together. The two-day event will deliver the latest, one-stop knowledge to protect individuals, organizations and the country in general from threats today.? The president, the law enforcement agencies and the intelligence units of the nation cannot deal with this issue alone; there is a need to form collaborative efforts of the citizens of the country and the various security agencies in partnership and the international community.”
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