According to cyber security professionals, people, processes, and technology are the three key pillars of cyber security. In today’s digital era, cyber security has become a national security issue. Due to the development of virtual transactions, digital security has become a top priority of security issue for nations. To build secure and safe cyber and to protect the digital infrastructure, nations must develop the capacity of the three important components of cyber security, people (human resource development), process, and technology.
This implies that cyber security training and awareness (human resource development), preparing a set of producers and policies to guide the interaction between people and technology (process), and technological advancements (technology) are essential components to secure a nation’s cyberspace. Integrating these three pillars of cyber security is essential to secure digital sovereignty.
Ethiopia is striving to realize digital transformation with fast-growing digitalization and virtual transactions. Parallel to realizing digital transformation, Ethiopia focuses on securing its digital sovereignty by investing on the three pillars of cyber security, people, process and technology.
While inaugurating the Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), a national infrastructure builds by Information Network Security Administration (INSA) on 31st of August; Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) stated that in the digital era, national security does not merely mean physical security. As to him, cyber security or digital sovereignty becomes a serious national security issue for countries. Hence, to ensure national security and realize development, developing the capacity of cyber security and ensuring digital sovereignty is urgent task for countries.
In this regard, Prime Minister Abiy stated that Ethiopia is investing its maximum capacity to develop the nation’s cyber security by integrating the basic pillars. Interim of human resource development in the cyber sector (people), Ethiopia gives due attention in training cyber professionals and invests in awareness creation for the mass. In this regard, to develop digital literacy, Ethiopia has launched a five million coders initiative to train five million Ethiopians in the digital sector, mainly to equip individuals with foundational skills in data science, android development, web development, artificial intelligence, and related courses. “Achieving the five million coders program will help Ethiopia to develop its human resource in the digital sector,” PM Abiy said during the launching ceremony of PKI.
Similarly, in terms of process, Ethiopia has set national cyber security institutions, laws and producers and guides to administer the cyber security sector of the nation. In this regard, INSA is undertaking the administrative and related activities of the nation’s cyber activities. To develop the technology pillar Ethiopia is implementing the latest and advanced digital technologies like the Public Key Infrastructure (PKI). Realizing the digital ID initiative and the five million coders program will be essential to developing digitalization and securing digital transactions integrating the activities with the latest technologies like PKI is essential.
This indicates that Ethiopia is striving to develop the three pillars of cyber security and integrating these pillars to ensure its cyber sovereignty. Appreciating the activities and efforts of INSA’s in protecting Ethiopia’s digital sovereignty, PM Abiy underlines that the launching of PKI by INSA would enhance the security of virtual data transactions. “Launching of the Public Key Infrastructure is historic for INSA and Ethiopia as well. This is a public infrastructure to provide service for the general public,” PM Abiy stated. As to him, from the beginning, INSA was created to own and build such key infrastructures like the PKI.
For the premier, transactions are becoming virtual due to digitalization. “Before 25 years ago, the world’s transaction was dependent to manual transactions,” PM Abiy stated adding but today, transactions are becoming virtual transactions thanks to digitalization. “During the initial period of virtual transactions, security and reliability of the transaction was the major question by users as they care to secure their private resources and data,” PM Abiy stated.
As security issue was a critical question for users to use virtual transactions, cryptography was created to answer the security question, encrypting the data between two pols during virtual transactions. Cryptography includes data encrypt system and advanced encrypt systems, which encrypt information transmitted virtually to protect the security of the information between the two actors. After creating crypto, encrypting the virtual communication between individuals was another question and countries created a safe system by building Public Key Infrastructure. With continued efforts to secure digital security and national cyber security, INSA has able to launch this key public infrastructure which is essential to secure virtual transactions.
A digital signature is the most important element in cryptography to ensure a secure and virtual safe transaction. A digital signature helps to identify a person from others and to build trust in virtual transactions. The PKI is essential to ensure all these key elements in securing virtual transactions. The financial system in Ethiopia is automating, mobile money is growing rapidly, the civil service sector is also automating its services, and Ethiopia is expanding one-window services, PM Abiy stated adding developing the capacity of securing these infrastructures is a timely task for Ethiopia and the KPI is a new hope for Ethiopia to ensure its capacity in this regard. The generated key, according to PM Abiy, can serve up to 40 years.
“The virtual transaction is growing fats. If we are not able to own PKI at this time at national level, it is difficult to achieve proper and secure virtual transaction,” PM Abiy underlined. “We officially launched Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) with the Information Network Security Administration. This will facilitate reliable and secure digital data exchange,” Abiy stated following inaugurating PKI.
Digital information security is crucial to realizing Ethiopia’s modernization, prosperity, and sovereignty. Digital security is essential to safeguard national sovereignty, and Ethiopia will continue investing in strengthening its digital security. The PKI infrastructure includes hardware, software, professionals, and a legal framework, which by itself integrates the three pillars of cyber security.
By encrypting data using mathematical formulas and decrypting it with secret keys, PKI enables digital signatures and data confidentiality verification. PKI encrypts data using mathematical formulas, requiring a secret key known only to the sender and receiver for decryption. It also enables digital signatures and data confidentiality verification through digital certificates. PKI is a vital component of information network security management.
The launch of PKI services demonstrates the institution’s capacity and growth, reflecting Ethiopia’s rapidly evolving digital landscape. PM Abiy highlighted the need for a robust virtual security system to support digital development and the newly launched PKI system addresses this requirement.
The government is striving to ensure digital security by implementing all necessary measures. Still, to ensure safe and secure cyber security, there is a call for a strong participation and involvement of individuals and institutions. Especially, the youth generation has to develop digital literacy and be aware of the basic cyber threats. Ethiopia has launched the 5 million Coders initiative, an open chance for the youth generation to provide free online training in basic digital literacy courses. The youth should properly use such initiatives to develop digital literacy.
BY DARGIE KAHSAY
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 6 SEPTEMBER 2024
