Nigeria Cyber Alert June 2015 ‘Cyberharam’: can Nigeria prepare for the next generation of terrorists? Bombs here, bombs there. This was the damage than Boko Haram. This new case in Nigeria a short while ago. Many generation of terrorism may not be in could not believe that such a thing could close combat but will be in cyber space. A happen in a nation where everyone director of the Federal Bureau of appeared to be peace-loving and Investigation (FBI) in 2013 said he hospitable. It was unheard of that a expects cyber threats to surpass the Nigerian will wrap himself or herself with terrorism threat that nations will face in a bomb and commit suicide in an attempt the years to come. to kill other people. The worst we The capacity to inflict serious damage imagined at that time was economic from cyber space is not just a marketing instability as a result of corruption or gimmick used by security vendors to clashes based on religious doctrines. promote their business, but has now Even the Nigerian President Goodluck become a well-established trend with Ebele Jonathan, in July 2014 admitted occurrences making headlines across the that the intensity of the Boko Haram crisis globe. Of worthy mention is the attack in the North East caught the government that destroyed centrifuges at an Iranian and the security agencies unaware. The nuclear facility; we can also recall the unfortunate reality is that there is a new Sony Pictures Entertainment hack late type of terror that is brewing and evolving last year. Even in Nigeria, it was reported at an alarming speed all around the that the website of the Independent world; this threat is more sophisticated National Electoral Commission (INEC) and can cause exponentially more was hacked on the day of the 2015 planes.” I think the emerging threats presidential election. These forms of should not be easily dismissed with such attacks in cyber space, which may be statements. Cyber terrorism knows no termed “cyber war”, range from simple borders. The internet, although very probes, website defacement, denial of good, may be used as a recruitment tool service and espionage, to wide-scale for terrorists worldwide as has been terrorism. alleged of ISIS and an evolving weapon in the global distribution of chaos. We are seeing significant interest by terrorist organizations in leveraging cyber Cyber security has now become a key capabilities to further their cause. For topic amongst government policy makers example, the Boko Haram sect gets worldwide and from all indications, it will media attention by leveraging social be a key topic till the end of time. The media. In 2013, the Syrian Electronic advent of cyber as a weapon of warfare is Army (SEA) hacked the Twitter account rapidly gaining momentum and Nigeria is of a news agency and falsely claimed the not immune to such threats. It is only a White House had been bombed and matter of time before it becomes full President Barack Obama was injured. blown. In 2012, it was reported that there was a 60% increase in the attacks on Nigerian government websites. We Cyber security has now become cannot control when the threat will occur but we can control our response to it. We a key topic amongst have ample time now to invest massively government policy makers in cyber-capacity development and worldwide and from all embark on deliberate media strategies. We are relatively in a time of national indications, it will be a key topic Cyber-Peace now and as I recall from an till the end of time. old adage, ‘a soldier prepares for war in time of peace’. Peace should not be a factor to cost us our strength; peace is a This led to a US$136.5 billion dip on the time when development and massive S&P 500 index that same day. If terrorists investment in cyber security and cyber are choosing to dedicate so much related matters should become resources into advancing their knowledge paramount issues. As of today, it is of cyber security, why then should our unbelievable that only one tertiary law-enforcement agents be caught institution in Nigeria currently administers unawares and keep playing catch up? cyber security as a course of study. A The same way many never saw Boko large proportion of Nigerian PhD holders Haram coming 15 years ago, we may in Computer Science related courses are also be blindsided to the concept of not Cyber Security experts. The expertise cyber-terrorism on the Nigerian is lacking and hence a defence strategy infrastructure. Many mistakes of the past cannot work with the status-quo. have been laced with statements It is only a vision of cyber-war and cyber- assuming that such problems can only peace that will make the United States happen in the western world. For embark on a Cambridge Vs. Cambridge instance, I recently facilitated a cyber- cyber challenge; a new competition security forum for c-level executives in geared at improving cyber security West Africa where we discussed the initiatives between MIT in Cambridge, report of the possibility to hack into a Massachusetts and Cambridge University plane’s control system via the in-flight Wi- in England. Fi system. After much deliberation, one of Also a cyber-security fellowship was the participants remarked, “thank God we initiated to aid knowledge transfer don’t yet have Wi-Fi in our domestic 2 between the United States (US) and the in Washington DC recently and did not United Kingdom (UK). The US hesitate to tell the bankers that they Government is pitching $14Billion in appear to focus more on credit risk, cyber security spending for fiscal year market risk, and liquidity risk without 2016 across all its agencies. This budget appropriately considering cyber risk. keeps increasing year after year. Whilst the traditional risk management Investment strides like this can only be portfolio is great, cyber-risk has the done because of a high probability of an immense power to wipe out an impending global catastrophe that can organisation’s shareholder value faster come as a result of cyber-terrorism. than the combination of these other risks. Nigeria has to take charge and make The role of governments cannot be significant investments in cyber security overemphasized in tackling cyber threats, capability so as to adequately defend the It should no longer be a backburner idea nation against cyber-attacks. which should be handled only by the In this war, the possibility for success is Ministry of Science and Technology or still a moving target as both heroes and the office of the National Security Adviser. villains are learning and seeking out new It is a frontline issue that could result in ways to defend and attack respectively. cascading economic catastrophes. Today’s defence or better said; this In tackling the challenges posed by cyber second’s defence is the next second’s threats, one top consideration is to weakness. How can we play in such a identify our critical infrastructure and field where the weapons and the assess the risks to these systems so as yardstick of success change on a per to identify threats and vulnerabilities. second basis? How do we fight a war that Examples of our critical infrastructure will not be limited to a section of the include those supporting our financial and country but has the potential to telecommunication systems, systems undermine even the high and mighty in hosting classified national security every nook and cranny? information amongst others. On conclusion of the assessment, a long term roadmap that will guide investments A next step could then be in securing our infrastructure should be inculcation of cyber security as prepared. a discipline of study in Nigerian As a nation, we need to invest massively in cyber-capacity development with Universities. We need to win the emphasis on law enforcement agencies, future and that can only be policy framework developers, the judiciary and both the state and federal legislative achieved by educating the arms of government. All routes to cyber present. capacity must be taken. Other training initiatives could include wide-scale My experience with performing ethical Federal Government and private sector hacking and cyber security related backed scholarships for students with assignments across 16 countries has put interest in cyber security. A next step me in a better position to appreciate the could then be inculcation of cyber security words of the former FBI director, Robert as a discipline of study in Nigerian Mueller, who said, “There are only two Universities. We need to win the future types of companies: Those that have and that can only be achieved by been hacked, and those that will be.” I educating the present. The enactment desire that all organisations in Nigeria into law of the Cybercrime bill is a step in wake up to this new reality. I was the right direction and the Nigerian speaking at a cyber-security conference government has to be lauded for that 3 achievement. The incoming National It is difficult to estimate the level of Assembly and President should work damage a catastrophic event such as a together for a flexible and evolving budget successful cyber-attack could inflict on that caters to the demands of cyber the future of Nigeria but I am not ready to security. Research and development in find out and I hope Nigerians are not cyber security must become fluid and eager to find that out either. This is why it must provide for the future cyber threats. makes logical sense to be prepared beyond Sambisa and Shekau, and look The establishment of a joint task force for forward to successfully defending our cyber security and building of a National national infrastructure from cyber- Cyber Command Centre that will be the terrorism.