Amnesty coordinator Dokubo warns of vulnerability to cyber attacks

Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Prof. Charles Dokubo, has warned that the reliance on computer systems, wireless networks and ubiquitous internet-enabled smart devices, including smartphones, televisions and various tiny devices, has made Nigeria vulnerable to potentially debilitating attacks.

He lamented that the fast-paced internet-driven world leaves little room for individuals and organisations to properly protect very sensitive data or documents.

Delivering a paper yesterday in Abuja on ‘Cyber Security and Economic Development’ at a workshop organised by the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) in collaboration with the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, Dokubo noted that findings from several studies and research on cyber security had warned that due to malpractices by operators, information technology (IT) security personnel are susceptible to being tricked into deviating from secure procedures through the diverse platforms of social engineering.

He said: “Fortunately or unfortunately, our daily activities are now being almost totally controlled by the computer. This predominant, and possibly overawing importance on computer systems, the internet and wireless networks such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and of course the ubiquitous internet-enabled smart devices, including smartphones, televisions and various tiny devices, has also made us vulnerable to potentially debilitating attacks.”

The Amnesty coordinator warned that “more than ever before, we have all become extremely vulnerable to attacks and possible exploitation.”