The Importance Of Cybersecurity In Nigeria

IMPORTANCE OF CYBERSECURITY IN NIGERIA

 Obi Lilian Chinenyenwa 

University of Port-Harcourt

1.0 INTRODUCTION 

The advancement of technological devices has brought a fair share of its consequences within cyberspace. Over the years, the alarming growth of the internet and its wide acceptance has led to the increase in security threats and cybercrimes such as fraud, identity theft and data breaches. Nigeria is no exception to this trend.

A recent report by Ransomware revealed that 71% of Nigerian organisations suffered cyber-attacks in 2021, with 44% of these organisations paying an average cost of $3.43 million as ransom to protect their business and secure sensitive data. Globally, the total cost of cybercrime is projected at $10.5 trillion by 2025. From the projected statistics, it becomes obvious that cybersecurity is more than a domestic issue. It is a global problem that needs to be addressed.

 

2.0 Cybersecurity and Cyber-attack

Cybersecurity refers to the ongoing effort to protect individuals, organisations and government from digital attacks by protecting networked systems and data from unauthorised use or harm. It covers a wide range of security measures that are designed to protect electronic information and systems from cyber threats/attack.

Cyberattack is an attempt to steal, alter, destroy, disrupt or disable information resources and systems found in computer networks and systems. Cyberattack have led to the breach of the privacy of computer users, including their photos, login details or medical histories. The success of a cyber-attack is dependent upon the poor security habits of the public, which is capable of exposing their personal and sensitive data.

2.0.1 Types of cybercrime/attack

Cyberattacks can have motives other than financial gain. Some cyberattacks focus on destroying or gaining access to critical data. The various forms of cyberattack include:

1) Phishing attack: A phishing attack occurs when a malicious actor sends emails that seem to be coming from trusted, legitimate sources in an attempt to grab sensitive information from the target.

2) Ransomware attack: In a ransomware, the victim’s system is held hostage until they agree to pay a ransom to the attacker. It involves cybercriminals encrypting the victim’s data and demanding ransom payment to decrypt it.

3) Malware: Malware is a general term for malicious software. Malware infects a computer and changes how it functions, destroys the data or spies on the user or the network traffic as it passes through. Examples of malware include: viruses, worms, Trojan, adware etc.

4) Cryptojacking: The term cryptojacking is closely related to cryptocurrency. Cryptojacking takes place when attackers access someone else’s computer for mining cryptocurrency. The access is gained by infecting a website or manipulating the victim to click on malicious links.

5) Denial-of-Service attack (DOS): A Denial-of-Service attack is a significant threat to companies. Here, attackers target systems, servers or networks and flood them with traffic to exhaust their resources or bandwidth.

6) Man In The Middle Attack (MITM): MITM is also known as eavesdropping attack. In this attack, an attacker comes in between a two-party communication. i.e. the attacker hijacks the session between a client and a host. By doing so, hackers steal and manipulate data.

3.0  The Need For Cybersecurity In Nigeria

Reports from the National Cyber Threat Forecast 2024, published by the Cybersecurity Experts Association of Nigeria (CSEAN), provides that the menace of the misinformation will persist, there will be a surge in ransomware attacks, there will be a rising potential for crypto scams and AI-powered threats will be more prevalent.

The forecast highlights the crucial need for individuals to remain vigilant and adopt proactive cybersecurity measures in order to mitigate cyber attacks.

Cybersecurity measures to take into cognizance, include but not limited to:

● Keep your computer and software updated.

● Use a non-administrator account whenever possible

●Avoid opening suspicious emails.

● Use a VPN to privatize your connections.

● Install a firewall on your device.

●Backup your data regularly.

● Use antivirus software.

●Limit your file sharing. 

4.0 CONCLUSION 

The rapid advancement of technology has ushered in unprecedented opportunities as for growth and connectivity, but it has also brought about significant risks in the form of cyber threats and attacks. From phishing scams to ransomware attacks, cybercriminals continue to exploit the vulnerabilities for financial gain and malicious intent. The need for cybersecurity at this point cannot be overemphasized, with vigilance, security practices and proactive cybersecurity measures, individuals, organisations and governments can mitigate risk, protect sensitive data and safeguard the digital infrastructure of our nation.

It might look demanding to turn on your two factor authentication or update software regularly, but it is for your safety. Let us strive towards a safer and more secure digital future.

 

 

REFERENCES 

1) Types of cyberattack you should be aware of in 2024. https://www.simplilearn.com/tutorials/cyber-security-tutorial/types-of-cyber-attacks > accessed 6th May 2024

2) Types of cyberattack. https://www.fortinet.com/resources/cyberglossary/types-of-cyber-attacks > accessed 6th May 2024

3) National Cyber Threat Forecast 2024. https://csean.org.ng/sdc_download/7299/?key=5lyk2lm5lmlrge840iedd60qu9gibq.

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