Security
Afenifere: We’ll not support military takeover
Pan-Yoruba sociocultural group, Afenifere, has said it is against military takeover of any kind. In a statement, National Publicity Secretary of the group, Comrade Jare Ajayi, described military intervention in government as a curse. He said the recent clamour for change in the country was borne out of frustration over the state of the nation. Ajayi said, “Going by what the nation went through under the military, we will certainly not support another military rule in Nigeria under any guise. “It is on record for example that apart from the general abridgement of the rights of Nigerians under the military, members of the the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) masterminded by Afenifere suffered greatly. “It is on record that we lost a lot of patriotic Nigerians all because they were prot...
Sub-Saharan Africa Trade Agency Appoints Kaspersky as Cybersecurity Partner
Image sourced from Discover Germany Africa House London – a trade agency established to encourage trade, commerce, and investment between the UK and a selected number of Sub-Saharan African high-growth markets – has appointed Kaspersky as its cybersecurity risk management commercial partner for its trade initiative. This is expected to see Kaspersky provide cybersecurity services to both British companies setting up business in Africa and African organisations establishing themselves in the UK. “Being named a Commercial Partner in this significant programme designed to increase UK and Africa bilateral trade and ensure stability and prosperity for the markets in a post-Brexit landscape, highlights the trust and belief in Kaspersky as a leading cybersecurity vendor. As such, Kaspersky i...
3 Tactics Hackers Use to Steal Passwords
Passwords, a basic yet essential part of cybersecurity, are the first line of defence against cyberattacks in our increasingly digital world. However, according to research from Check Point Software, many users are under the false impression that cybercriminals have no interest in their personal information or data on their computers. And it is for this reason that the robustness and strength of passwords are more important now than ever. With that in mind – thanks to Checkpoint – here are three of the tactics used to steal passwords along with the necessary steps to prevent any person from becoming a victim of cybercrime: 1. Phishing attacks This method has become one of the most widely used tactics for stealing passwords and usernames. It works in a simple way: by sending an email that a...
CP Yaro: How I will end insecurity in Imo
The newly posted Imo state Commissioner of Police, Abutu Yaro, on Thursday, said that he would introduce visibility policing as well as reinvigorate community policing in the state to restore fully the security of lives and properties in Imo. Yaro started this to newsmen in Owerri, while taking over from Nasiru Mohammed, the outgoing commissioner of police. To achieve it, he said it would be a community participatory process where everybody will be involved. According to him, “Within the period the Imo State Police Command will be under my watch, we will do our best to revive our visibility policing. Visibility policing by way of ensuring that police asset and personnel are seen in the public domain and in ungoverned places because visibility policing has the potentials of reducing crimina...
Here’s How Much it Costs to Recover from a Ransomware Attack in 2021
Sourced from International IDEA The cost of an average ransomware attack has more than doubled in a year, increasing from $761,106 in 2020 to $1.85 million in 2021. According to “The State of Ransomware 2021” report from Sophos, the average ransom paid is $170,404. While the number of organizations that experienced a ransomware attack fell from 51% of respondents surveyed in 2020 to 37% in 2021, and fewer organizations suffered data encryption as the result of a significant attack (54% in 2021 compared to 73% in 2020), the new survey results reveal worrying upward trends, particularly in terms of the impact of a ransomware attack. “The apparent decline in the number of organizations being hit by ransomware is good news, but it is tempered by the fact that this is likely to reflect, at...
House asks federal government to suspend upcoming census exercise
Following the ravaging insecurity in the country, the House of Representatives yesterday called on the federal government to suspend the upcoming census exercise until security improved. The House also said it will be counter-productive and a waste of scarce financial resources to conduct such exercise amidst the economic recession. The call was made on the heel of a motion under matters of urgent public importance titled “Call on the federal government of Nigeria to Suspend the Proposed 2021 Population and Housing Census to be conducted by the National Population Commission” sponsored by Shelia Barwa Bell. Moving the motion, Bell said that the state of insecurity would not guarantee accuracy if the census was conducted now, arguing that many Nigerians have fled their homes and villages. H...
Niger governor seeks federal government collaboration in tackling insecurity
Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger has said that collaboration between the federal and state governments is required to tackle the security challenges facing the state. Bello stated this on Wednesday in Minna, when he received the General Commanding Officer (GOC), 1 Division of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna. The governor, however, said that security was being beefed up in the state, adding that the GOC’s visit was an indication that the challenges in the state would soon come to an end. “I am glad he (GOC) visited, we discussed the security situation. We briefed each other on the situation. “He has assured us that they will do whatever they can to in no distance time, that we will see responses in addressing the situation,’’ the governor said. Ali, who was in Niger in continuation of tour of formati...
South-east group hails re-organisation in Nigeria Police Force
The Coalition of South East Youth Leaders has expressed delight over the recent re-organisation in the Nigeria Police Force. The group, an umbrella body of youth organisations in the zone, described the measure as “a step in the right direction”. This is contained in a statement issued by the group’s President General, Goodluck Ibem, in Owerri on Wednesday. It commended the Acting Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, for his “foresight” in appointing Mr Etim Okon as the Assistant Inspector General in charge of Zone 9. Ibem said that Okon’s appointment could not have come at a better time, considering the rising cases of insecurity in the zone. “We are deeply grateful to the IGP for his foresight in appointing a tested and experienced hand to man the affairs of Zone 9, Umuahia in Abia. ...
Premier League issues major announcement on fan attendance for last two games
Only home fans (a limited number) will be able to attend the final two league games of the season, as confirmed by the Premier League. This update comes from The Athletic, following suggestions that away supporters could be permitted access to the stands as part of the 10,000 spectator figure previously touted. “The Premier League today confirmed the final two match rounds of the 2020/21 season will be limited to home fans, subject to the Government easing lockdown restrictions,” as the Premier League statement read. “Following consultation with clubs, it was agreed matches would not be open to away supporters due to varying operational challenges across the League and the need to deliver a consistent approach, while maximising the opportunity for home-fan attendance. “The safety and secur...
Nigerian government welcomes ECOWAS court judgment dismissing SERAP’s case
Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, on Tuesday welcomed an ECOWAS Court judgment dismissing a case filed by the trustees of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) against the Federal Government. Malami, in a statement by Dr Umar Gwandu, his Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, said the judgment has saved Nigeria from payment of billons of naira for bogus claims. He described the judgment as a clear vindication of the government’s efforts towards respecting human rights and international conventions. Malami, therefore renewed the commitment of his office to protecting the rights of citizens in all ramifications as well as protecting the public interest in the discharge of all constitutionally recognised mandate. Newsmen report that the judgment which...
6 Tips to Defend Against Ransomware Attacks
Over the last few years, the number of users encountering targeted ransomware – malware used to extort money from high-profile targets, such as corporations, government agencies, and municipal organisations – increased by 767%. With that in mind, here are 6 things you can do to defend against ransomware attacks: Assume you will be hit. Ransomware remains highly prevalent – no sector, country or organization size is immune from the risk. It’s better to be prepared, but not hit, rather than the other way round. Make backups and keep a copy offline. Backups are the main method organizations surveyed used to recover their data after an attack. Opt for the industry-standard approach of 3:2:1 (three sets of backups, using two different media, one of which is kept offline). Deploy layered protect...
How to Build a Secure 5G Ecosystem
Powered by the convergence of 5G and industry 4.0, the smart enterprise of the future is now here. The critical performance boost of 5G enables critical smart systems to share and respond to information faster than ever, permitting industrial enterprises to digitise and automate their infrastructures with confidence. 5G offers a unique and valuable set of capabilities that, unlike any previous or current mobile technology, enable and expand the implementation of transformative technologies for organisations, including industrial enterprises. The value of 5G encompasses enhanced bandwidth, ultra-high reliability, low latency, high positioning precision, and native support for machine communications that organisations across a wide range of verticals, including manufacturing, logis...
