‘Cyber attacks pose threat to national security’

Cyber attacks are increasing each day and are posing a huge threat to national security, Information, Communication, Postal and Courier Services Minister Tatenda Mavetera said on Wednesday when handing over laptops and phones to winners of the Hackathon in the capital.

“We must stay ahead of these threats and continuously step on them with our cyber defence forces,” she said. 

“With this army of educated young innovators our country can build its technical solutions rather than relying on software from other countries. Hackathon provides a unique way that we can use to identify vulnerabilities and work on them.”

A cyberattack is any intentional effort to steal, expose, alter, disable, or destroy data, applications or other assets through unauthorised access to a network, computer system or digital device. 

Zimbabwe is currently using the Cyber Bill which was enacted in 2021 to protect citizens from hackers and bullies, with perpetrators liable to a jail sentence.

“There is need for collaboration between the public and private sectors as cyber security is not just a Government’s responsibility, but it requires a collective effort,” said Minister Mavetera.

Contestants of the hackathon were drawn from 12 universities and polytechnics with 49 teams in pairs coming from: University of Zimbabwe, National University of Science and Technology, Harare Institute of Technology, Great Zimbabwe University, Bindura University of Science Education, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Solusi, Harare and Masvingo Polytechnics, Midlands State University, Eden University from Zambia, TelOne Institute and the Reformed Church University.

Bakertilly Digital Technology Services organised the competition, which included people with disabilities who competed in different categories.

A hackathon (also known as a hack day, hackfest, datathon or codefest, a partmanteau of the words “hacking” and “marathon”) is an event where people engage in rapid and collaborative engineering over a relatively short period of time such as 24 hours or 48 hours. — New Ziana