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Farai Dauramanzi Herald Reporter
Cooperation and coordination among individuals, organizations, government, and international bodies is crucial in countering cybersecurity threats, the Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services Tatenda Mavetera has said.
Cybersecurity aims to protect individuals’ personal data and organisations’ systems, applications, computing devices, sensitive data and financial assets against breaches when using internet-connected systems.
According to international experts, in 2023, the average cost of a data breach reached a record high of US$4.45 million, an increase of 2 percent compared to 2022’s average of US$4.35 million.
As the country moves towards achieving an upper-middle-income status under Vision 2030 as well as increased internet penetration, the issue of cybersecurity is becoming important as cases of cyber breaches are on the increase as both individuals and corporations are falling prey.
Speaking during the National Cyber Security Conference on Wednesday, which is one of the many activities that have been lined up for the National Cyber Security Awareness Month, Minister Mavetera said that Zimbabwe recognises the threat cyber-attacks and cybercrime pose to critical information infrastructure as well as the damage it can cause to the trust and confidence in ICT systems.
“In today’s digital age, ICTs and particularly the internet have become the common denominator for all socio-economic activities as they represent the foundation for prosperity, growth and security of our societies.
“Zimbabwe, like the rest of the world is embracing its digital future through its SMART Zimbabwe 2030 initiative and the National Development Strategy 1 in its journey towards an upper middle-income economy by 2030 as enunciated by President Mnangagwa,” she said.
The Cyber Security Conference was attended by 64 organisations including those from the telecoms industry, security sector and many others with interest in cybersecurity.
Minister Mavetera said that the importance of cybersecurity has become of paramount importance in the increasingly interconnected world, where technology has become an integral part of everyone’s life.
“With each passing day, we witness the rapid growth of digital advancements, which bring immense benefits but also expose us to new and evolving risks.
Cybersecurity is not just a concern for governments and corporations; it affects each and every one of us.
“From protecting our personal information to safeguarding critical infrastructure, the impact of cyber threats can be far-reaching and devastating. It is our collective responsibility to ensure a safe and secure digital environment for ourselves, our organizations, and future generations,” she said.
She called on all the respective stakeholders such as POTRAZ, the Central bank, Service providers and law enforcement agencies to collaborate in combating the scourge of cyber threats so as to protect all citizens.
The Government has responded swiftly to cyber threats and cyber-crimes through regulatory measures such as the enactment of the Cyber and Data Protection Act as well as supporting directives and other related legislation to enforce provisions of the law across all sectors of the economy.
“In addition, The Ministry working with POTRAZ and the International Telecommunications Union is setting up a National Computer Incident Response Team (NCIRT) to provide a focal point for incident reporting and response in the country,” she said.
Minister Mavetera also noted awareness, collaboration and education as paramount in order for the country to achieve a secure digital future.
“Cybersecurity is not a battle that can be fought alone. It demands cooperation and coordination among individuals, organizations, government, and international bodies. Sharing knowledge, expertise, and threat intelligence can help us stay one step ahead of cybercriminals.”
Telecoms giant, Econet’s Chief Executive Officer Dr Douglas Mboweni, who was represented by the company’s chief risk officer Mr Leonard Boore, said that there is a need to enhance cybersecurity as cyber breaches were costly to organisations.
“The frequency of the breaches (data) is beginning to increase and the quantum of the losses that are within those breaches are also increasing.
“According to IBM, the average cost of a data breach is now estimated at USD4.45 million which is an increase of about USD15million compared to the 2020 statistics so it is becoming more and more expensive to actually suffer an incident or a loss within your environs,” he said.
Dr Batsirai Chivanga an academic and internet expert from the Chinhoyi University of Technology who presented on the topic of ‘Cyber Threats – An ever-present negative nature of internet technologies’ said that in order to enhance cybersecurity, there is a need for the creation of ICT clusters in every sector.
“Cybersecurity, all stakeholders should be involved in keeping the internet-based activities secure. It is not Government’s duty alone to keep us safe but everyone should play a part,” he said.
The Ministry of ICT, Postal and Courier Services has lined up various activities across the country to mark the Cyber Awareness Month which is running under the theme; ‘Cybersecurity our shared responsibility.’
leeroy
Online Reporter