ADDIS ABABA – Information Network Security Agency announced that it has built anti-cyber-attack army and software. INSA Director General, Solomon Soka told journalists that INSA has upgraded itself in fighting against cyber-attacks.
It has aborted 6,768 cyber-attacks out of 6.959 this year, and 96.02 percent of successful cyber-attacks have been responded so far. Anti-virus and anti-spy software and hardware developments, human capacity developments, and inspections are being upgraded, he stated.
“Most of the attempts for attack had targeted banks and financial institutions. Even though regional administration offices, security institutions, media institutions, infrastructures and ministerial offices. Website and malware attacking, scanning, distributed denial of service, and bypass techniques were largely used by cyber criminals,” he mentioned.
This time, the global competition is seemingly relayed on technological invention and ownership. No one is willing to share or sell security tools. So, we are upgrading ourselves in parallel with global trends, he said. During the fiscal year, some 23.2 billion Birr has been saved from attackers’ threat. The cyber army is armed with own technological tools, he added.
“Our vision is to substitute all security technologies with domestic products. So far, some security tools have already been developed and get operational. The Ethiopian information intelligence is emerging as one of known developing cyber defender. To make it more intelligent, hardware including computer and mobile boards are being manufactured here. Next year, INSA will own its own tablets and cellphones,” he said.
He said: “Beyond defending, the response capacity needs more development. Accordingly, INSA experts have been working inspiringly; we have respond 96.03 percent of 191 successful attacks committed this year. Meanwhile, the army is repossessing for retribution. Through inspection, INSA has avoided 652 cyber-attack vulnerability causes from 64 governmental and 59 private institutions. Out of total cases, 187 of them were vulnerable for severe attack.”
Some 583 technological devices have also been banned from import, according to INSA. Digital security and sovereignty is becoming one of global trends; cyber criminals are looting and damaging assets estimated up to 5.8 billion USD annually, The Ethiopian Herald learnt.
BY YESUF ENDRIS
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD WEDNESDAY 26 JULY 2023
