Various cyber technological products developed locally were displayed at the recent Cyber technology exhibition held here in Addis Ababa.
Many products and newly developed systems produced locally by Ethiopian experts were displayed in the event. Derash integrated payment system, Gashalocall antivirus application, Erga-mail local email service system, Enterprise Resource Planning System (ERP), digital forensic service system and ethio cert are few among the local cyber technology products.
According to INSA experts these applications and system products are developed locally to build the country’s capacity of the sector, for safe information flow by minimizing the risks of using open sources mainly to safeguard the cyber of the country in all ways. Similarly by introducing easiest and modern systems, it aims to facilitate the country’s technological advancement which is currently at an infant stage.
Gasha antivirus is one of the locally developed application by Ethiopian cyber engineers to protect and solve virus attacks in the cyber technology in the country. The new developed antivirus application, which is ready now for official use is prepared with Amharic and English versions.
Antivirus Application Development expert with Industry Specification Division at INSA, Demis Bawte told The Ethiopian Herald that Gasha antivirus is locally latest antivirus application developed by INSA experts. The application is developed to protect virus attacks and to minimize the vulnerability of using antivirus applications from open sources.
For Demis although the application was functional since last year within the division and used for server services within INSA, yet it is not officially launched. But now, version of the application is ready for release.
According to him using open source antivirus is vulnerable for attack and the INSA developed antivirus is secured national product, which makes it suitable for Ethiopia to protect computers and computer files form virus attacks.
Software ApplicationDevelopment team with Industry Specification Division experts have also exhibited Erga-mail locally produced email service at the exhibition. According to the experts erga-mail is developed for secure information transaction through email in the country. The application is now deployed at INSA and Ministry of Peace, which is already functional. The server of the email is under the control of INSA and Erga-mail is secured, latest and ready to deploy it any time for institutions and organizations. If organizations and institutions want to use it, they should first agree with the agency.
Similarly Derash integrated e-payment system is also a locally innovated system functional for bill payment service. Derash was introduced last year the system is interconnected with 15 banks having 4,500 branches and two micro financial institutions with 11,000 costumers, Mekonnen Abera expert at Derash Platform Business Development noted.
In 2018/19 fiscal year, seven billion birr bill was collected through derash system in its pilot implementation phase and now government institutions are showing interest to work with INSA through Derash. For him Ethiopian Ministry of Revenue already started collecting the revenue from its clients with derash and the system is friendly with mobile banking, internet banking and using bank branches by person.
Similarly other latest technologies like digital forensic services using for justice related to social media crimes, military operation, for information service and cyber security is also functional by INSA. In this case, 141 social media and cyber related crimes were reported and thwarted using digital forensic.
According to the experts, INSA is introducing new systems in the cyber technology parallel with its national responsibility of securing the nation’s cyber security from any cyber-attack.
The Ethiopian Herald November9, 2019
BY DARGIE KAHSAY
