The Threat of Cyber Attack On National Security

Nigeria is currently faced with tirades of challenges among which is the threat of cyber attack on our national security. The potential threat posed by cyber-terrorism has provoked considerable alarm around the world. But it appears Nigeria is unfazed.

Cyber-terrorism is premeditated, politically motivated attack against information, computer systems, computer programs and data, which results in violence against noncombatant targets by sub-national groups or clandestine agency.

By hacking into government’s and private computer systems, cyber-terrorists can cripple the military, financial and service sectors of any economy. This is a clear and present danger, underscoring the need for decisive measures to stem the tide.

These unarmed but lethal terrorists now pose a threat beyond the fraudulent and expensive repercussions of hacking and even the monster called corruption. Experts say it is no longer just a threat to industry and individuals.

Evidence suggests that governments across the world are now using the internet for espionage and cyber attacks on critical national infrastructure (financial markets, utility providers, air traffic control) of other countries.

Nigeria’s vulnerability to cyber terrorism is exacerbated by lack of skills, manpower, political will and structures including legal and locally engineered infrastructure as well as reliance on external forces for the deployment, design and development of the country’s ICT solutions. At present, Cyber-terrorists are  capitalizing on the uncharted nature of the country’s internet landscape to perpetrate their heinous crime.

Anonymity of the internet, lack of effective policing as well as absence of records of punishment, has helped the terrorists operate unhindered. Around the world, countries have set up organs charged with combating cyber terrorism. The United States, for instance, has the United States Strategic Command with the duty of combating cyber terrorism. This is accomplished through the Joint Task Force-Global Network Operations (JTF-GNO).

Nigeria is starting late as the Senate is now considering a law to stop fraud and other Internet-related financial crimes. Penalty for culprits when the law comes to fruition is a jail term of at least five years and a maximum of 14 years.

Beyond this, the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology must start thinking of a federal government broadband to filter information consumed in the country. Nigeria must also harness her national database – name, date of birth, date of death, house number, education, consumer records, lack of data on the nation’s citizens is threat to national security as citizens of other nations with sinister motive could illegally sneak into the country and pose as Nigerians only to engage in acts that could destabilise the nation. The Boko Haram insurgency should serve as an eye opener.