A computer programmer, Emmanuel Opara, has identified phishing and weak defences against attacks as common cyber security threats.
He said new technology is released everyday with Internet access but most lack security plans.
This, he said, presents a severe risk as each unsecured connection means vulnerability.
“The rapid development of technology is a testament to innovators, however, security lags severely. another threat is social engineering. people know intrusion techniques have a shelf life. reliable nontechnical methods like social engineering, which rely on social interaction and psychological manipulation can be used to gain access to confidential data.”
He added that updating security software is a basic technology management practice and a mandatory step in protecting big data. security software tools are developed to defend against known threats. that means any new malicious code that hits an outdated version of security software will go undetected.
The first Nigerian to develop and design a mobile game app on an iOS device noted that ransomware attacks remain the biggest challenge in cybersecurity, adding that the attackers don’t release the data even after the payment is made and instead try to extort more money.
Opara further said ” cybercrime is evolving as a threat to the national security of several countries, primarily motivated by financial advantage. seemingly the link between cybercrime and national security has become increasingly prevalent, as technology has advanced the criminal capacity to cause harm and annoyance to individuals and a nation’s critical infrastructure by undermining its vital instrumentalities, while adding that any cybercrime that cripples any government infrastructure is a national security issue.”
Opara noted that cybersecurity is a global demand and there has been a 470% increase in global cybersecurity job demand between 2013 and 2022.
“In Nigeria for instance, the available record (world economic forum) suggests that there are currently more than 48,000 cybersecurity job openings that need to be filled. The demand for cyber experts is higher than available trained cyber security professionals and this is how it is in other countries”.
Opara made us understand that there’s difference between information security and cyber security. Hear him “I see a lot of people on social media especially Twitter tweet about Cyber but when you read their tweets, it’s more of InfoSec concern. Cybersecurity deals with Cybercrime, Cyber fraud, OPSEC, Ofsec and possibly law enforcement.”
“Information security is protecting the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the data from unauthorized access, disclosure, and disruption or any kind. Cybersecurity is protecting information in cyberspace. Information is protecting data in cyberspace.”
Opara first game app, ‘Chike’, was launched on Apple’s iConnect in 2015.