THE UGLY SIDE OF COMBATING CYBERCRIMES
Read Time:4 Minute, 7 Second
Cybercrime is a complex and evolving menace with a devastating impact on individuals, businesses as well as governments.
However, there are preventive steps that can be taken to better protect ourselves against cyber-attacks.
This includes but not limited to: implementation of strong passwords policy, keeping updated software with regular or periodic patching, deployment of a fit for purpose Intrusion Preventive/Detective Solutions, Regulatory Compliance Independent Audit, a sound Incidence Response Procedure, and above all a robust Cyber Security Culture for Board, Management, Employees, Vendors as well as Customers.
Governments and businesses must also invest in cyber security to protect themselves and their citizens against cybercrime by building cyber security capacity, investing in research and development, collaborating with international partners.
It is fact that the internet has brought many benefits, and it is also fact that it has on the contrary created new opportunities for criminals to exploit digital systems vulnerabilities for both financial and personal gains. Several reports have revealed that Cybercrime is a growing problem that affects individuals, businesses, and governments around the world.
In this article, readers shall explore my ugly experience in the course of combating cybercrimes as a Nigeria licensed cybersecurity practitioner.
My name is Ghazali A.A, a cybersecurity policy expert. I strongly believe that no human life should be lost to cyber activities either as a cybercrime victim or cybercrime fighter.
Contrarily, cybercrime victims often suffer from anxiety, stress and fear of being victimized at any other time. At a larger scale, the society suffer from a lack of trust and what I can term as social polarization. Above all is the loss of confidence in technology by endpoint user.
In the year 2024, I worked closely with thousands of cyber victims across Nigeria. The concerned were victims of Identity theft, cyberbullying, and online harassment. Topping the chart is Identity theft (ATM card, Email, Facebook, WhatsApp etc.) where victims ignorantly capitulate their digital Identity to threat actors. This gave room for what we call account takeover leading to both financial and reputational loss to both the victim, their loved ones and their online friends.
My interview sessions with all victims were emotional. The victims from time to time displayed high level of weakness with little or no hope of recovery from the bad experience. Most of the victims were financially ruined has their businesses and personal lives got grounded. Some also faced litigation cases from family and friends in situations where their stolen Identities were used to illegally obtain money from such family member or friend.
Some of the victims I interviewed where victims of cyber bully, especially those that have their medical records compromised. I normally classify victims in this category as public sensitive and public fragile. They suffer reputation and psychological trauma.
Throughout the year, I was working closely with victims to help them recover from cybercrimes through Judicial Justice Process including but not limited to filing police report, getting court injunction as well as Identifying fraudsters for prosecution purposes.
It is a common believe that crime fight back. This is the ugly side!!! I was attacked severally during the year by people believed to be perpetrators of cybercrimes. In one of the instances, the person claimed to be a victim of cybercrime, we scheduled to meet but to my surprise about five people showed up and the rest was a devastating event, my phone was collected and smashed on the ground. They claimed to have been observing and following how am making case for cyber victims especially victims of ATM swap. As individual crime and fraud fighter, we are exposed to life threats and it is expedient that we take necessary precautions.
Year 2024 has recorded great and significant success in our collective fight against cybercrime. Fighting cybercrimes requires a lot of strategic and collaborative efforts from Government, Businesses and Individual. The Government protect data subject through Laws and Regulations like the Data Protection Act and Cybercrime Prohibition Act. More so, Agencies of the Government like, The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, as well as the National Cybercrime Centre of the Nigeria Police Force are doing tremendously well in combating cybercrimes in Nigeria.
We however have a lot of improvement opportunities at the corporate level. Most companies do not have a robust cybersecurity culture including the Financial Institutions, Health Care Service providers and Telecommunication Companies as well as ecommerce platforms. It is critical to mention that these platforms collect, process and warehouse millions of sensitive information of citizens. This is also an ugly side!!!
As a cybercrime and fraud fighter, I have been victimized, ambushed, and above all been threatened. I am however relentless and committed towards a safe cyber space where Nigerians and many end users can operate with high level of trust in IT infrastructures.
The internet is not anonymous as you think, cybercriminals have no hidden place in the digital world because your footprint is not invincible. This is the good side!!!
Happy
0 %
Sad
100 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
1
0