APWG Vienna Symposium addresses global cyber security awareness messaging

The APWG Vienna Symposium on Global Cybersecurity Awareness Messaging at the United Nations International Center, recently addressed the development of cybersecurity awareness programs at the transnational levels – and the establishment of messaging and measurement instruments that must be deployed to make people part of the solution to cybercrime and ICT risks.

In his presentations, Prsesident, Cyber security Experts Association of Nigeria (CSEAN),Remi Afon, informed the participants at in Vienna Symposium on Global Cyber Security Awareness Messaging, Austria that Africa Continent is made up of 54 countries with population of 1.21billion with the youngest population in the world with Median age put at 19.5 years.

Afon said that Africa leads the world in money transfers using mobile phones, with 14 per cent of all Africans receiving money through mobile transfers, adding that 67 per cent of South Africans have experienced some form of online crime – compared to 48 per cent globally.

He underscored that Africa’s GDP at 2016 stood at $2.89trillion with Internet users subscribers at 2016 340,783,342, while estimated cost of cyber crime recorded in 2016 amount to $2bn.

“Nigeria at 2016 had $481.066bn in GDP, while $550m was lost to cybercrime; Kenya at 2016 had $481.066bn in GDP, and lost $175m; Tanzania -$44.895bn GDP and lost $85m; Ghana – $37.86bn GDP and lost $50m; Uganda-$26.369bn GDP and lost $35m to cybercrime,” he said.

He lamented that Cybercrime is increasing at more rapid rate in Africa than any other area of the world; according to Symantec, as it is estimated that 80 per cent of computers on the African continents are infected with malware, while South Africa (80 per cent) has the 3rd highest number of cybercrime victims in the world, after Russia (92 per cent), China (84 per cent) and Nigeria the largest target and source of malicious Internet activities

Speaking on the economic implication of cybercrime, Afon stated that cybercrime costs the world economy the sum of US $500 billion, more than the GDP of South Africa ($350.6bn) and slightly less than that of Nigeria ($521.8bn), the continent’s largest economy, adding that Nigeria losses $350 million to cybercrime yearly, Uganda $50m, Kenya 250m.

He highlighted that 11 States seemed to have basic substantive and procedural law provisions in place for cybercrime, adding that a further 12 states seemed to have substantive and procedural law provisions partially in place; the majority of African States (30) did not have specific legal provisions on cyber crime and electronic evidence in force; while Draft laws or amendments to existing legislation reportedly had been prepared in at least 15 States.

He maintained that Africa cannot afford to turn blind eye to awareness and training, strong legislative framework, government commitment, multi stakeholder approach, LEA capacity building and cross border collaboration.

Cyber Security Experts’ Association of Nigeria, according to him, holds healthy debates to expand our audience knowledge, awareness and understanding of the issues around Cyber-crime, and also share knowledge to grow the Information Security Industry in Nigeria via workshops and seminars.

He revealed that CSEAN adopted Stop Think Connect Messaging Convection in 2014, Stop Think Connect National Awareness Campaign was launched in Nigeria by CSEAN in January 2015 and CSEAN attained the status of Nigeria Curator in June 2016, while the campaign is now gaining momentum in Nigeria with main focus on the youth.

“Awareness by local content, Campaign partnership with higher institutions, Cybersecurity Awareness through social media (FB, Twitter,LinkedIn & IG), October cyber security awareness month campaign, Yearly cyber security conference (3rd year running), Cyber security awareness training for public sector are the messaging instruments deployed by CSEAN in Nigeria,” Afon stated.