Experts call for robust efforts to tackle Namibia's cybersecurity

In the aftermath of a recent cyberattack on telecommunications service provider Paratus Namibia, the company said that, according to a preliminary investigation, mainly internal operational files were affected.

However, the company is still working to determine the full extent of the data breach, it said last week.

In a statement, Paratus managing director Andrew Hall said affected services such as their voice (083) services and some information provided through cloud-hosted environments needed to be secured.

Paratus said it had made “significant additional investments” in cybersecurity since the attack on 13 February.

“We acknowledge our responsibility to address this incident transparently and effectively,” Hall said.

This incident follows a ransomware attack on the state-owned telecommunications service provider, Telecom, in December.

Getting worse

Salt Essential IT’s empowerment specialist Vanessa Maresch warned Namibians last week that the attacks on Paratus and Telecom are not the only cyber incidents experienced in Namibia.

“We need to do better. We cannot rely solely on external parties. How you, as a user, can ensure your safety is by making sure your systems (such as software) are updated – that’s what you have control over,” she advised.

“In the case of cyberattacks, it’s not a matter of ‘if’ you will be attacked, but rather ‘when.’ You can do your best, but it is never guaranteed,” she warned.

She believes, however, that legislation on cybersecurity can deter hackers, but it will not necessarily prevent cyberattacks.

“[Legislation] will not stop something from happening to you. And this is not an issue unique to Namibia or Africa. It’s a problem on other continents as well, and in recent years, it’s just gotten worse because it’s now incredibly easy to execute.

“Cybercrime has grown from a value of US$5 billion to US$10.5 trillion over the past five years,” she said.

Maresch said free information sessions offered by Salt Essential IT in collaboration with the information and communication technology ministry are well supported by staff from corporate institutions. However, the public shows little interest.

“Larger institutions can generally afford to put better cybersecurity systems in place, but it will hit our small- and medium-sized businesses, individuals, the elderly and young people the hardest. The only way to protect yourself is to know what to do in those situations,” she said.

Lack of experts

Head of the India-Namibia Centre for Excellence in Information Technology (INCEIT), Dr Arpit Jain, believes that the lack of legislation regarding cybersecurity, as well as a shortage of local experts in this field, are among the biggest causes of recurring cyberattacks in Namibia.

Jain, who advocates for capacity building in cybersecurity, highlighted the importance of strengthening Namibia's cybersecurity framework.

While efforts have been ongoing since 2013 to have legislation approved, the absence of a cybersecurity law, coupled with the shortage of local expertise, presents challenges in addressing cybersecurity threats.

“We are moving slowly. There have been many cyberattacks in Namibia, especially in recent years, that have not been in the spotlight. Cybersecurity is a rapidly developing field, and it is essential to accelerate efforts in both legislation and skills development,” he said.

While Jain acknowledges government initiatives, he emphasised the need for greater investment in local expertise.

“We need to establish strong cybersecurity policies that can improve national security. We need to bring experienced professionals, academics, researchers and experts on board to develop a solid cybersecurity foundation that will ensure Namibia can proactively tackle cyber threats and improve its digital resilience,” he said.

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