Managing Director of Galaxy Backbone, Yusuf Kazaure, has identified continuous education as the best approach to combat cyber-crimes.

Kazaure said cyber attackers infiltrate systems and organisations through unclosed websites and sites not meant to be visited by people in such organisations.

“As a country, the issues around data sovereignty are things we must take seriously.

“Going into the future, the most valuable commodity is not going to be oil or commodities; it is going to be data.

“We are moving into new eras around internet of things; everything is going to be about data.

“People are going to decide what they sell to you or how they treat you based on the data and information they know about you.

“So wars are going to be fought in the future based on the data and information they (cyber attackers) have about you.

“Cyber-crime and cyber warfare are the new realities and the focus is slowly shifting in that direction.

“In light of last year’s `ransomware attack’, we brought everybody (IT Administrators of MDAs) into a room and informed them of the steps and measures we have taken to provide additional security.

“This education is something that has to be continuous using the same media that people go to; it’s not about classrooms.

“Now it is even more important because of the risks and the rate at which new streams of viruses and malware are coming up on a day-to-day basis.

“It’s very difficult now to use anti-viruses to even track and keep up.

“So it’s everybody’s responsibility because whatever you believe, sooner or later, writing and paper will become history.’’

He said the organisation was engaging more Information Technology administrators of different MDAs to keep them abreast of dangers of cyber-crime to their organisations.

According to him, the administrators will pass the education on to staff of their organisations.

He said in the event of any cyber-attack, Galaxy Backbone would lock down additional and unnecessary traffic and several ports which could be used as platforms of attack, advising MDAs and individuals to form the habit of closing websites visited and to ensure that they avoid opening unnecessary sites not relevant to them.