MACRA sets up emergency team to fight cyber threats

The county’s communication regulatory body, Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA), has set up a system that will help in curbing cyber threats in the country.

MACRA’s director of finance, Ben Chitsonga

The intervention, called computer emergency response team (Cert), will work hand in hand with other cyber experts in commercial banks, Malawi Police Service and the Malawi Defence Force to ensure that issues of cyber-crimes are dealt with decisively.

MACRA’s director of finance, Ben Chitsonga, told Nyasa Times in an interview on the sidelines of a three-day Cert workshop in Lilongwe that they have invited experts in cyber security from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) to assess and impart their expertise on Malawi authorities on how the Cert can be set up.

According to Chitsonga, the country cannot work in isolation in dealing with cyber-crime.

He said: “Cyber-crime is real and we need to have proper instruments in place so that we move in the right direction. I know some institutions have been affected by cyber criminals, but they do not come out for fear of losing trust. ITU is helping us to check our readiness to set up the Cert,” he said.

Chitsonga admitted that most companies have fallen victims of being attacked but they do not report.

“We are appealing to companies and individuals to report any attacks being experienced,” said Chitsonga.

ITU regional programme officer for Africa Anne Rita Ssemboga commended Malawi for putting in place instruments that will help the country deal with cyber-crime.

Ssemboga said Malawi needs to take issues of cyber-crime seriously because Internet has completely changed how business is done these days.

“We are proud that Malawi is taking this issue seriously. Cyber-crimes are a real phenomenon, and as people continue transacting online, there is a risk. Even banks are doing business online,” said Ssemboga.

According to International Telecommunication Union (ITU) 80% of Africans (80 million people) have access to technologies, and that phone access is projected to be at 419 million in 2020 and that 1.7 billion people acquire spectrum with a limited and controlled resource hence the need to prevent it from cyber-attacks.

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :

Sharing is caring!

Follow us in Twitter
2 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Peloma Pepe
Peloma Pepe
5 years ago

Bwana Alfred Chauwa, put your facts straight in the last paragraph. It seems you’re all over the place and didn’t do your homework. First of all, currently, there are approximately 1.2. billion people in Africa, hence “80% of Africans” would not be “80 million people.” Secondly, you need to come out clearly on the figure of 1.7 billion people. As I already said, the population of Africa is currently at 1.2 billion, so the 1.7 billion people you’re referring to is certainly not only for Africans as 1.7 billion exceeds the actual population of Africa (i.e. 1.2 billion people). Nonetheless,… Read more »

Central
Central
5 years ago

This I see as another bait of siphoning resources! The idea is good but the implementing team is questionable!! Kupite kaye tsache kenako muzichita zinazo………………………………………………………!

Read previous post:
Macra risk case dismissal of Chandiyang’ana over delays – Magistrate Nyimba

The magistrate court in Blantyre has warned the it will dismiss a case in which Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra)...

Close