(Issued
Monday 21 January 2020)
It’s
like the two sides to a coin; the advent of cheaper internet is also
accompanied by new threats and risks.
Take
it or not, evidence suggests that cyberspace is today the biggest breeding
ground for jihadis and other terrorist movements that prey on unsuspecting
people who are recruited, brainwashed and radicalized.
Interestingly,
as we put up mechanisms to stave off e-criminals, these gangs of
organised-criminals are also increasingly their actions or support by investing
in ramping up their digital frontiers.
What
is in fact more worrying is that young people in particular and other
vulnerable people in society especially, are the primary targets for
recruitment and radicalization with all its severe consequences on national,
regional and global peace.
As
the cyberspace is getting more and more complex, national security services in
West Africa need stronger collaboration with critical stakeholders to enlighten
people at home and at work to understand the basic cyber security rules.
More
importantly, the security agencies should also apply enhanced rules to help
governments expand their war on cybercrimes.
The
challenge we face is that the same qualities can and are being abused by
individuals and groups to do us harm. Remember that the cyberspace is flexible,
available and it easy to use put such powers and knowledge in the hands of so
many people around the world, hence making it difficult to effectively police,
monitor and control.
Let
us rally efforts to curtail the massive lost countries continues to suffer in
the hands of cybercriminals.
“Threat
is a mirror of security gaps. Cyber-threat is mainly a reflection of our
weaknesses. An accurate vision of digital and behavioral gaps is crucial for a
consistent cyber-resilience.”
Stephane
Nappo
