The Nation Newspaper

Tag: cyber crime

  • FG to hold confab on financial fraud Feb 2

    FG to hold confab on financial fraud Feb 2

    The Federal Government will hold a stakeholders’ conference on Financial Fraud, Cyber Crime and Cross-border Crimes on Feb. 2 and Feb. 4.

    This is contained in a statement signed by Mr. Salihu Isah, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Attorney- General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami, in Abuja on Tuesday.

    It stated that the maiden conference was aimed at stepping up government’s fight against corruption and corrupt practices.

    It stated that the conference was an attempt by practitioners, academics and policy makers to review current security trends in Nigeria and globally as it relates to transnational organised crimes.

    It stated that the conference would also review trends in cyber security threats, terrorism, money laundering and its impact on national security, critical infrastructure and the financial system.

    “The conference is expected to give participants the opportunity to determine the prevalence and patterns analyse the causes and proffer policy recommendations on tackling security issues that confront the international community and Nigeria.

    “The cliché that one in every four Africans is a Nigerian is well known. Whatever happens in Nigeria always robs off on other African countries.

    “Consequently, issues related to the impact of Nigeria’s security challenges on the sub-Saharan Africa will be discussed by experts drawn from various security and intelligence background.

    “It will be organised by the Federal Ministry of Justice in conjunction with Digital Forensic Limited and Forensic Insight International Limited and in partnership with some private and public institutions.”

     

  • Cyber-crime from Nigeria hits $9.3 billion yearly

    Cyber-crime from Nigeria hits $9.3 billion yearly

    Cyber-crime originating from Nigeria is worth $9.3 billion yearly, President of Cyber Security Association of Nigeria (CSEAN), Mr. Remi Afon, has said.

    He spoke in a statement in Abuja on the planned launch of CSEAN in Lagos and award of certificates to new members.

    Afon said although there were no available statistics on volume of malware being generated from the country, “based on research by Palo Alto Networks in 2014 and fire eye 2015, activities of cyber criminals in Nigeria is now shifting from phishing emails to actual exploit through malware”.

    “It is estimated by Dutch investigation firm, Ultrascan, that Nigeria-based cybercrime is costing around $9.3 billion (£5.5b) globally each year,” he added.

    He lauded efforts of the Federal Government to combat the menace.

    President Goodluck Jonathan administration signed the Cybercrime Bill into law on October 24, 2014.

  • Nigeria global cyber-crime hit $9.3b annually

    Nigeria global cyber-crime hit $9.3b annually

    Cyber-crime originating from Nigeria costs about $9.3 billion annually across the globe, President, Cyber Security Association of Nigeria (CSEAN), Mr. Remi Afon has said.‎

    In a statement Thursday in Abuja on the planned launch of CSEAN Lagos and award of certificates to new members of the association, Afon stated that activities of the cyber criminals have integrated from phishing emails to “actual exploit through malware.”

    According to him, though there were no available statistics on volume of malware being generated from the country but “based on research by Palo Alto Networks in 2014 and fire eye 2015, activities of cyber criminals in Nigeria is now shifting from phishing emails to actual exploit through malware.

    “It is estimated by Dutch investigation firm Ultrascan that Nigeria-based cybercrime is costing around $9.3 billion (£5.5bn) globally each year.”

    However, he lauded efforts of the Federal Government to combating the menace.

    “Cyber crime became rampant in Nigeria due to lack of appropriate cyber crime law in the past. The cyber crime bill has now been passed into law around mid of this year. With the new cyber crime law, it will become easier for law enforcement agents to prosecute cyber criminals unlike in the past,” he said.

    The bill introduced on July 28, 2011, was targeted to check activities of internet scammers, who had projected the country negatively, both locally and internationally.

    However, Afon emphasised need to better equip law enforcement agencies with the necessary skills and tools to be able to apprehend and prosecute cyber criminals.

    He called for more investment in cyber security, adding that bank customers are continuously targeted with email requests purportedly from banks in order to steal customers’ login details.

    “The cybercrime bill has now been passed into law. With the new cybercrime law, it will become easier for law enforcement agents to prosecute cyber criminals unlike in the past.

    “In most cases it would be observed that the banks emails are not spoofed which shows the amateurish level of the cyber criminals. By simply expanding the senders email address, the yahoo, Gmail or Hotmail account of the sender becomes visible,” he added.

  • Cyber crime offenders risk life jail

    Cyber crime offenders may be in for tougher times as the Senate yesterday passed an Act for the Prohibition, Prevention, Detection, Investigation and Prosecution of cyber crimes.

    The Electronic Fraud and Crime in all electronic transactions and for other related matters Bill (2014) was sponsored by Senator Adegbenga Kaka (Ogun East) and 32 others, including senators Olubunmi Adetunmbi, Magnus Abe, Olufemi Lanlehin and Domingo Obende.

    On offences against critical national information infrastructure, the Senate accepted that “any person who, with intent, commits any offence punishable under this Act against any critical national information infrastructure, designated pursuant to Section 3 of this Act shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not more than 10 years without an option of fine.”

    Section 5(2) says: “Where the offence committed under subsection (1) of Section 5 results in grievous bodily harm to any person, the offender shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not more than 15 years without option of fine.”

    Section 5(3) says “where the offence committed under subsection (1) of Section 5 results in the death of person(s), the offender shall be liable on conviction to life imprisonment”.

    Section 6 (1) says any person who intentionally accesses a computer fraudulently commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for not more than five years or a fine of not more than N5 million or both.

    Section 6(2) says: “Where the offence provided in subsection (1) of this section is committed with the intent of obtaining computer data, securing access to any programme, commercial or industrial secrets or classified information, the punishment shall be imprisonment for a term of not more than seven years or a fine of not more than N7 million or both.

  • N159b e-frauds: ISSAN urges passage of cybercrime bills

    N159b e-frauds: ISSAN urges passage of cybercrime bills

    The Information Security Society of Africa, Nigeria (ISSAN) and major stakeholders in the banking industry have urged the National Assembly to expedite action on the passage of the cybercrime bills pending before it to curb the raft of electronic frauds.

    The group lamented that between 2000 and last year, a whopping N159billion was stolen from banks, arguing that if there is a law that deals with e-fraudsters, the situation may have been different.

    Its President, David Isiavwe, said the proliferation of e-payment channels, which has brought banking  closer to customers has further increased the challenge of cyber crime.

    He urged firms  to  explore a more comprehensive approach to protecting their customers, core networks and information technology (IT) infrastructure.

    Rising from a stakeholders meeting organised by the group in collaboration with Digital Encode Limited for Chief Internal Auditors (CIAs) and Chief Information Officers (CIOs) of lenders, participants blamed the non-passage of the bills into law for the inability of law enforcement agencies to curtail cybercrimes in the country.

    To push for its passage, ISSAN has set up a committee to act as industry’s pressure group to liaise with the National Assembly to ensure its quick passage into law.

    Members of the committee include the managing directors of Interswitch, and Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS); representatives from the Bankers Committee; the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Other members include the president, ISSAN and the Chairman, Committee of Chief Internal Auditors of Banks in Nigeria (CCIABN)

    ISSAN urged the Committee of Internal Auditors of Banks (CIABs) to liaise with the  Committee of E-Banking Industry Heads (CeBIH) and engage Mastercard & Visa card on EMV cards frauds.

    The meeting, which had in attendance key industry players from Interswitch, NIBBS, the CBN, and a wide variety of Information Technology (IT) professionals, including the CIAs and CIOs of several banks also discussed incessant attacks by cybercriminals on banks, action plan for the protection of payment systems and the banking industry as a whole, the CBNs biometric project and its impact on banks and consumers alike, from a security perspective.

  • Police committee to fight cyber crime

    Police committee to fight cyber crime

    The Police Assistance Committee (PAC) is intensifying efforts to join hands with the police and other security agencies to fight the menace of internet crime prevalent in the country.

    Director-General of the PAC, Dr. Martins Oni, lamented that the image of the country was being seriously eroded at a fast rate within the international community through perpetration of cyber crime by Nigerians who are looking for easy way to make illicit money.

    He was speaking at a three-day workshop  on the theme, ”The Need to Fight Internet Crime in the Country”, held in Lagos to train the PAC field  officers on how they could assist the police and other security agencies through information and intelligence gathering to fight the menace.

    Dr. Oni emphasized the need to re-orientate Nigerians by necessary agencies of government such as the National Orientation Agency on the colossal damage being done to the image of Nigeria locally and internationally through internet fraud which is also having adverse effect on the nation’s economy through discouragement of genuine investors willing to come and do legitimate business in Nigeria.

    The PAC boss enjoined Nigerians to redirect their energy and valuable time towards positive ways they could adopt to contribute to the economic growth of Nigeria, while also calling on government to create better opportunities for most Nigerians to grow their talents and contribute to the development of the country.

    He called on the participants at the workshop comprising state, zonal and unit coordinators of the PAC to be tactful and vigilant in retrieving useful information for dissemination to the police and other security agencies to address the incessant problem of internet crime in the country.

  • Fighting cyber crime

    Cyber crime, which involves criminals robbing their victims online, is fast becoming one of the greatest crimes globally. $500 million is said to be lost to the crime yearly, worldwide.

    With the revolution in technology and increased access to the internet, many young adults have been engaged in cyber crime, while many children have also been victims.

    Its impact, it was said, could be more devastating than physical war if immediate measures are not taken now to address the menace.

    To stop the crime in Nigeria, First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan, while chairing the 2013 World Cyber Security Conference in Abuja, promised to do all she can to protect children from any forms of online risks and abuses.

    She said: “The internet technology is one of the most outstanding innovations in the field of communication in the history of mankind. Its content is as diverse as human thought. It has completely changed society and opened up new avenues for communication, research, commerce and entertainment.

    “Unfortunately, the immense benefits of the internet however come with its risks. I assure you of my commitment to ensure that the Nigerian child, the African child and the children of the world are protected from all forms of online risks and abuses.”

    “We will create maximum awareness of basic online security measures, develop practical tools to help minimise risks and share knowledge and experience through multi-dimensional means,” she said.