‘Help military protect digital infrastructure against cyber attacks’
The government has been urged to develop partnerships with public and commercial organisations to help the military better defend its digital infrastructure against cyber-attacks.
The partnerships, according to Director Legal at the Ministry of National Security, Dr Osei Bonsu Dickson, would help exchange information and knowledge adding that cyber threats were a global issue that could not be resolved by a single entity.
Dr Dickson said this in an interview with the Ghanaian Times on Thursday in Accra on the global cyber challenges, the military was likely to encounter and possible solutions to them.
He said with the creation of partnerships, the military might be able to utilise the expertise of other entities to construct a more comprehensive cyber defense policy.
He also mentioned that there was the need to invest in research and development to create new tools and technologies which would help recognise and prevent cyber-attacks.
Dr Dickson said Africa was more interconnected with the expansion of the internet and intelligent devices, adding that it had brought about substantial advantages.
He said these interconnections had created new security concerns, particularly in the area of cyber security adding that cyber-attacks were on the rise and might have adverse impacts on individuals, businesses, and the military.
“Increased sophistication of cyber-attacks is one challenging concern of military cyber defense. Generally, it will be difficult to keep up with hackers’ constant development of new methods aimed at bypassing cyber security measures of critical information infrastructure.
“This suggests that the military’s cyber security must be proactive, anticipating future threats and implementing countermeasures before a problem arises,” Dr Dickson said.
Dr Dickson who is also the National Coordinator of the Security Governance Initiative (SGI) Secretariat said in developed countries, the military’s networks and systems were extremely sophisticated, with numerous access points and a vast number of interconnected devices
He stated that while that might contrast with those in the developing world, the sheer complexity of safeguarding classified systems made protecting, identifying cyber-attacks, and responding to them more difficult.
To ensure the efficacy of military cyber defense, he said it would be necessary to establish a balance between accessibility and security, explaining that military personnel should have access to digital systems and data in order to execute their duties effectively, yet this access creates major threats.
“A comprehensive approach to cyber security is an effective technique. This requires a focus on broader issues, such as employee training and awareness, in addition to strictly technical solutions like as firewalls and anti-virus software,” he added.
He indicated that the military could create a more secure digital infrastructure by educating its personnel on cyber security best practices and developing a culture of security.
BY JEMIMA ESINAM KUATSINU
