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Joshua Muswere-Herald Correspondent
The Ministry of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services in collaboration with Econet Wireless Zimbabwe started the Cybersecurity Awareness Month by conducting a national cyber conference in Harare yesterday.
It was held against the backdrop of the theme: “Cyber resilience: Together we defend; together we thrive.” This resonated profoundly with the country’s digital landscape where cybersecurity threats and cost implications are of both a complex and pervasive nature.
Officially opening the event, Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Deputy Minister Dingumuzi Phuti highlighted the spread of crime in the financial, emotional and the reputation of individuals, businesses and the Government at large.
“Global cybercrime costs are expected to reach an astounding $10.5 trillion annually by 2025, according to a report by the 2023 Cybersecurity Ventures report.”
“In 2022, we witnessed a staggering 105 percent increase in ransomware attacks compared to the previous year, affecting countless organisations and disrupting critical services,” said the Deputy Minister.
Over 80 percent of reported security incidents were attributed to phishing attacks, highlighting the vulnerabilities that exist even in well-guarded systems.
The average cost of a data breach soared to US$4,35 million.
The conference aimed to bring about solutions to complement the formulation of the national cyber security strategy to holistically safeguard information assets from ever-increasing cyber threats.
Deputy Minister Phuti called on the Government, the business fraternity and individuals to contribute to the country’s cyber resilience.
“Cyber resilience is more than just prevention, it is about our ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from cyber incidents. It calls for a proactive approach that integrates technology, processes, and people.”
“The Government, business community and individuals each have a crucial role to play in this endeavour. By sharing knowledge, resources, and best practices, we can create a robust defence against cyber threats and ensure that they can thrive in the digital age,” he said.
In 2021 the Ministry promulgated the Cyber and Data Protection Act to criminalise a wide range of cyber crimes such as phishing, identity theft, hacking, cloning and malware victimisation.
It also created mandatory requirements for data protection officers and guidelines for data handling.
As the event came to a close, the Deputy Minister said plans were on track to extend the cybersecurity training programme previously rolled out to most ICT directors in ministries, departments, agencies to other authorities as well as the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, senior civil servants as well as Ministers and their Deputies.
“We are thus fully committed to taking more steps to promote high standards of cyber resilience, let us remember that we are stronger together.”
“By collaborating, sharing knowledge, and supporting one another, we can create a safer digital environment for all,” he said.
Online Reporter