RECOGNISING SIGNIFICANCE OF CYBER SECURITY AWARENESS

To start with I would like to recorgnise this "ARTICLE" , It has been an inspiration to rise awareness on the Cybersecurity awareness month. after that, Let me tell that in terms of global communications, the world is going through the most exciting period in human history. Now people are more connected than ever. Internet has been facilitating many things in daily routines.

People connect with friends and family, conduct business and banking online and rely on many services, like transportation and electricity, which are supported with online systems. Technology has spearheaded advancements in healthcare, education, business, music, government, and many other industries.

As technology advances, life becomes easier and more connected. However, being constantly connected brings increased risk of theft, fraud, and abuse. No country, industry, community, or individual is immune to cyber risks.

No doubt there are multiple challenges facing cyberspace today. Despite of the initiatives which are taken by some countries, Cyber terrorism, Cyber war and organised crimes are still considered growing threats.

Chunks of money have been invested by developed countries to facilitate the fight against these crimes. Due to these rapidly growing cyberthreats, the fight against cybercrime has been promoted across the global.

In Tanzania, misuse of social media and other cybercrime activities started getting to the extreme and compelled the country to take stern measures. The Cybercrime Act 2015 became officially effective last month (September 1st). However, having a Cyber law in place is not enough. It’s time for Tanzania to adopt other international initiatives to improve cybersecurity in the country.

IFAHAMU NJIA MADHUBUTI YA KUKABILIANA NA UHALIFU MTANDAO

Naanza Andiko hili kwa kutambua na kuhamasisha Tukio la kipekee katika anga ya usalama mitandao ambalo limekua liki azimishwa kila mwaka katika mwezi wa October ambapo mataifa yanaadhimisha siku ya uelewa wa maswala ya usalama mitandao duniani kote. Kwa mwaka jana katika kuukaribisha mwezi huu Nilipata kuandika katika andiko linalosomeka kwa "KUBOFYA HAPA" na baadae kutoa tathmini ya mwezi katika andiko linalosomeka kwa "KUBOFYA HAPA".

Naimani Mwaka huu Tanzania ita uchukulia mwezi huu kinamna ya kipekee ili kuweza kukuza uelewa kwa watu wake Tukio ambalo nategemea makampuni mbali mbali na maeneo mengine yataandaa program mbali mbali za kukuza uelewa wa maswala ya usalama mitandao ili kuweza kufikiwa malengo yaliyokusudiwa na wanausalama wote mitandao duniani kote.

Aidha, inaaminika kama ilivyo katika uhalifu mwingine wowote ni vigumu kumaliza kabisa tatizo ila kuna njia kadhaa ambazo kwa umoja wake zikifanyiwa kazi vizuri zinaweza kabisa kupunguza kwa kiasi kikubwa sana tatizo la uhalifu mtandao. Tatizo kubwa kubwa ni kua njia hizi zimekua zikiishia katika maandishi baada ya kujadiliwa na wanausalama mitandao ambapo mimi binafsi nilikua miongoni mwao.

Leo nitaangazia njia ambayo imeshika nafasi ya juu na imeonekana na uwezo mkubwa wa kuhimili uhalifu mtandao ambapo imeaminika inauwezo wa kupunguza aina mbili za wahalifu mtandao pamoja na kusababisha aina ya tatu kupungua makali. Kwa ujumla wake imezungumzwa inaweza kupunguza hadi asilimia 71% ya uhalifu wote mtandao kama itafatwa vizuri na kupewa uzito wa kipekee katika mataifa yote.

Njia hii si nyingine bali ni “Awareness Program” Yaani elimu ya uelewa wa uhalufu mtandao na namna ya kujilinda. Elimu hii inatoa fursa kwa mwananchi wa kawaida kutambua aina mbali mbali za uhalifu mtandao, athari zake, njia ya kujilinda, Na Namna ya kulinda wenzake.

Kwa kupata elimu hii wale wote waliokua wakifanya uhalifu mtandao pasi na kujua wanakua na ufahamu wa kutosha na hatimae kundi hili linakua limeondokana na uhalifu mtandao. Aidha, kundi la pili ambalo ni lile linalofanya uhalifuu huu wa mtandao wakiwa hawana namna kwa kutokujua athari zake baada ya kujua athari za uhalifu mtandao kwao na kwa wengine na pia kujua njia mbadala wanazoweza kutumia kuepukana na uhalifu huu kupitia elimu ya uelewa ya usalama mitandao kundi hili linaweza pia likapunguzwa hadi asilimia 84% kwa mujibu wa wataalam wa usalama mitandao.

APPROPRIATE RESPONSE TO CYBERATTACKS SHOULD BE DEVELOPED.

Many countries have successfully implemented cyberlaws. Tanzania has cybercrime laws in places with the vision to protect its citizens who are becoming vulnerable of cyberattacks. Laws are to curb the growing cybercrime incidents. It is expected to start being implemented on September first this year (2015).

The law is expected to bring impact in our economic wellbeing – 54.4 Trillion stolen by cybercriminals each year can be saved when this law starts being used. Cyberbullying and other growing cybercrimes are also expected to be reduced effectively in a country once this law is started to be used.

The Cyber law itself is not enough, Capacity building, Awareness program and collaboration to meet target is essential to successfully mitigate these cyber risk in a nation. The three things should go together with the law in order to maximize efficiency to meet the target and to minimize those who commit cybercrimes unknowingly.

Addressing the attacks occurred is also mandatory, Citizens should be aware of the cyber incidence happening for them to take appropriate measure to secure themselves. Recently, Clickjacking hits Tanzania where social media specifically Facebook happened to be most heated. Unfriendly pictures keep on showing up to people’s profiles without their concerns.

There should be a way to address the matter to the citizens so that they will know how to deal with the incidents. In this case not clicking those pictures because by doing so, they will increase the impact of the attack and the spread will eventually be higher. 

  

SHERIA MTANDAO: YASIYOTAJWA ITAKAPO ANZA KUTUMIKA SEPTEMBA MOSI

Zikiwa zimebaki siku chache kuanza kutumika kwa sheria mtandao Nchini Tanzania, Mengi yame endelea kuzungumzwa ikiwa ni pamoja na kurudia mapungufu yaliyopatikana katika sheria ya awali iliyo wasilishwa bungeni na kusambazwa kwa maneno kua sharia hii mtandao ipo kuziba watanzania midomo huku wengine wakizungumzia itakiuka faragha za watanzania. Sheria hii inakuja kusaidia mambo mengi nani wazi mengi hayo yamekua hayazungumzwi kabisa.

Hivi karibuni kupitia mkutano mkuu wa mwaka wa maswala ya usalama mitandao ambapo moja ya mijadala iliangazia sharia hii na kutolea ufafanuzi yale yaliyokua hayajaeleweka vizuri. Binafsi Nilikua mmoja wa washiriki ambapo kwa ujumla wetu tulianisha mambo kadhaa na kuzidi kutoa hofu kwa yale ambay yameendelea kupotoshwa kuelekea matumizi ya sharia hii mtandao. Makala hii itajikita kwenye hayo yasiyo zungumzwa kwa wingi hivi sasa.

Upotevu wa fedha, hivi karibuni akizungumza na Jeshi la polisi waziri wa Mawasiliano,Sayansi na Teknolojia, Profesa Makame Mbarawa alitahadharisha kua shilingi trilioni 54.4 zitakuwepo kwenye hatari ya kuingia katika mikono ya wahalifu wa mitandao, endapo Sheria za Mitandao na Miamala ya fedha haitatumika.

Alianisha kua fedha hizo ni sawa na trioni 4.4 kila mwezi. Profesa Mbarawa amesema fedha hizo lazima zilindwe  kwa kuwekewa sheria zenye kuzuia na kutoa adhabu kwa watu watakaoingilia mihamala ya fedha. Kuzilinda fedha hizo Sheria mtandao haina budi kuwepo ili kuwapa uwezo wahusika kufanya kazi yao ipasavyo.

Udukuzi, Wimbi la udukuzi wa tovuti na mitandao yakijamii na barua pepe za watu binafsi bado ni changamoto nchini – Malalamiko yameendelea kua mengi na hakuna namna nyingine ya kuhimili tatizo pasipokua na sharia mtandao ili kutoa fursa kwa wahalifu hao kuchukuliwa adhabu stahiki.

THE WEEKEST LINK TO THE SECURITY CHAIN

Despite of the growing threats in a cyberspace, only some organizations consider the situation critical and place well organized security measures in place. These few organization are investing much on the tools to make their organizations secure. Again the very important note security experts keep on emphasizing has been forgotten – The weakest links.

Humans are the weakest link to the security chain, they can be the reason to the security breach to any organization despite of the best implementations of the security tools in organization – There is no patch for humans. This is why cybersecurity awareness programs have been strongly recommended to minimize the risks.

Recently, Kasperky has done a “SURVEY” named consumer security risks survey 2014: multi-device threats in a multi-device world which was released last month (July, 2015) According to a survey conducted by Kasperky Lab and B2B International, women have been found to be less aware of cyberthreats.

However, in light of this and in celebration of National Women’s Day on 9 August 2015 in South Africa, Kaspersky Lab, along with B2B International, intend to not only make woman more aware of online cyberthreats – but also protect them against it.

Both Kasperky Lab and B2B International are encouraging all women, this Women’s Day, to expand on their knowledge of online security protection.

According to the survey, only 19% of women believe they may fall victim to cybercriminals while every fourth man (25%) considers it possible. Moreover, according to the survey women generally know less about cyberthreats than men. For example, 27% of men and 38% of women are unaware of ransomware; 23% of men and 34% of women know little about mobile malware; 21% of men and 34% of women have a limited idea what an exploit is.

This lack of awareness can cause a user to pay less attention to protecting themselves against cyberthreats. When they allow other people (children, friends, colleagues, etc.) to use their main device, 36% of women do nothing to protect their data because they “see no risk”. Only 28% of men behave in the same way. 75% of men and 68% of women make back-up copies. 13% of women have no security solutions on their devices, compared with 10% of men.

USALAMA MITANDAO: TANZANIA INA CHA KUJIFUNZA KUTOKA KENYA.

Nimekamilisha vikao vya usalama mitandao vilivyofanyikia jijini Nairobi kufuatia mualiko maalum nilioupata. Katika vikao hivyo niliwasilisha mada mbili (ya kwanza ikiwa ni namna ya kukabiliana na uhalifu mtandao na mada ya pili ikiwa ni namna ya uchunguzi wa makosa ya digitali kitaalam) katika mada hizo mbili ambazo zilipokelewa vizuri na kupelekea mijadala ya kipekee kuna mengi  nikajifunza kutoka kwa washiriki. Aidha, nilishiriki mijadala duara iliyojikita katika changamototo mbali mbali za uhalifu mitandao na kuiangazia sharia mtandao ya nchi ya Kenya.

Kenya ni miongoni mwa nchi tatu barani afrika ambazo zimeorodheshwa kua na uhalifu mkubwa sana wa kimtandao nyingine ni Nigeria pamoja na Afrika ya kusini. Tukijadili takwimu za kutisha duniani kote, tulishuka na kuangazia bara la Afrika na baadae Afrika mashariki na hatimae kujikita na twakwimu za Nchi ya Kenya.

Kwa upande wa Kenya kwa mujibu wa takwimu zilizo wasilishwa katika mkutano, hadi kufikia Mwezi wa saba mwaka huu (2015) kuna simu 34.8 Milioni  huku watumiaji wakiwa ni 26.0 Milioni. Aidha, matumizi ya intaneti ni 29.1 milioni ambayo ni sawa na 65% “penetration”. Takwimu hizo zinasindikizwa na upotevu wa dola za kimarekani 20 milioni ($20 Mil) kila mwaka kutokana na uhalifu mtandao.

Palizungumzwa matukio ya kudukuliwa kwa tovuti Nchini humo ambapo, tovuti za serikali 103 ziliathiriwa mwaka 2013, na 3 kwa mwaka wa 2014 huku twitter ya serikali mwaka jana (2014) ikiwa ni miongoni mwa zilizo dukuliwa na kutumiwa vibaya. Nilihoji tofauti kubwa ya udukuzi wa tovuti na kujulishwa baada ya tukio la aina yake la mwaka 2013 serikali iliamua kuzifunga tuvuti zake nyingi hasa zile zilizo onekana hazina umuhimu sana kua hewani kitu ambacho kilichangia kupunguza namba kubwa ya udukuzi kwa mwaka 2014.

Kwa upande wa pesa zinazopotea kwa nyia ya simu – Miamala inayo fanywa kwa njia ya simu ni asilimia kumi (10%) ya fedha za miamala yote kila mwezi huku idadi hiyo kuonekana kushtusha wengi.

Ikumbukwe nchi ya Kenya, matumizi mabaya ya mitandao ilipelekea kuchochea na kusababisha vurugu ilisababisha matatizo makubwa sana kipindi cha uchaguzi kilichopita ambapo kwa mujibu wa mchambuzi mmoja wa maswala ya uchanguzi alichapisha andiko na kueleza mitandao ilikua chanzo kikubwa cha kueneza chuki na fujo kipindi cha uchaguzi uliopita.