ICT minister Emma Theofelus said Namibia is doing all it can to evade cybersecurity threats. Theofelus told New Era this week that the Cybercrime Bill, which is currently in Parliament, is amongst strategies being employed to tackle the matter.
The Bill, she said, is expected to ensure the development and implementation of mechanisms to protect the nation from cybercrime. After years of delay due to refurbishment, the Bill is currently under its final review.
Another mechanism employed against cybercrime is the utilisation of the National Cybersecurity Strategy & Awareness Raising Plan 2022-2027.
Namibia's cybersecurity cluster came under the spotlight when Namibia's biggest telecommunication company, Telecom Namibia, was hacked and over 400 000 public records leaked.
The case aroused panic in both the public and private sectors, questioning the safety and security of the country's digital systems.
Government, during the eighth information, communication and technology summit last year, advocated for the utilisation and integration of Artificial Intelligence in its various sectors to keep up with global digital goals.
This appears to have raised even more concerns in the public domain.
"Government has supported Telecom and other entities in the recent cyber-attacks and will continue to do so with the support of the Namibia Cybersecurity Incident Response Team and any other tools at our disposal.
This is to support any entities, private or public, where cyber incidents are concerned," Theofelus said.
Namibia International Cybersecurity Conference and Exhibition Organising Committee chairperson, Paulinus Sheehama said there is a need for robust cybersecurity strategies and preparedness.
He noted that key lessons that could be taken from the recent cyberattacks include building a resilient defence mechanism to prevent data breaches. Also, there is a need to strengthen partnerships between public and private entities to share threat intelligence and ensuring continuous training for IT professionals to mitigate evolving cyber threats.
The Namibia International Cybersecurity Conference and Exhibition is slated for 16-18 July. This year's theme, "Securing Namibia's Digital Future: Collaboration, Innovation, and Capacity Building", emphasises the need to strengthen Namibia's cybersecurity capabilities through collective efforts.
The conference aims to enhance awareness of cybersecurity threats and empower both the public and private sectors to take proactive measures.
The conference highlights Namibia's commitment to protecting its digital infrastructure and citizens from the growing menace of cyberattacks.
This year's conference is more dynamic and inclusive, with an expanded speaker line-up of up to 40 national and international experts from diverse fields, including finance, banking, oil and gas, extractive industries, creative industries, health, telecommunications and more.
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It will focus on actionable solutions, insights into Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT) security, and blockchain technology.
"Cybersecurity is not just an IT issue; it is a business and national security issue. By sending representatives to the conference, companies can ensure their workforce is equipped to identify and mitigate cyber threats."
According to the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia's recent report, Namibia recorded over 1.8 million cyber incidents from January to September 2024. -rrgaiseb@gmail.com
