Developing countries most vulnerable to cyber attacks – UN
A United Nations-led forum on cyber security has hinted that developing countries are at higher risk of being the target of cyber attacks.
The forum which brought together experts to discuss ways to mitigate this phenomenon at the national and international levels said cyber attacks have the potential for triggering inter-State and other conflicts which can put the entire development process at considerable risk.
Because of the ubiquity of information and communication technologies in everyday life, the impact of cyber attacks is magnified, and appropriate measures to prevent them must be put into place.
Developing countries, with relatively weak surveillance capacity are most vulnerable to such cyber attacks. According to the UN International Telecommunication Union, there are six billion mobile cellular subscriptions worldwide and more than 2.3 billion people online, making ICTs a powerful tool to advance development.
Developing countries are using ICTs to advance their development agenda, because of their relevance in transforming human activities and in presenting new opportunities for economic growth.
Mobile phones and the Internet have had beneficial impacts on supporting the livelihoods of rural people, particularly farmers in Asia. In Africa, mobile phones are the most widely-used form of communications technology.
However, their use exposes users to a myriad of risks, and the “full benefits of the digital age” will not be reaped if cybercrime is left unaddressed, he said. Governments, the private sector and civil society are therefore encouraged to all work to improve cyber security.
ITU currently has a programme in conjunction with the International Multilateral Partnership Against Cyber Threats which provides expertise, facilities and resources to countries to prevent, defend against and respond to cyber threats.
In addition, the ITU has established a partnership with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime to assist Member States in mitigating the risks posed by cyber security and cyber crime through activities such as joint workshops, capacity building, and knowledge-sharing.
