Latest update December 22nd, 2024 4:10 AM
Latest News
- Each household in Guyana lost $1.7M in 2024 from Govt’s refusal to apply 65% windfall taxes on Exxon’s excess profits
- Citizens file Court action against Exxon’s 7th oil project
- Pope calls Gaza airstrikes ‘cruelty’ after Israeli minister’s criticism
- Brutus admits traveling to Lethem
- Toy gun bandit shot dead, accomplice escapes
Report all cyber security threats immediately – NDMA General Manager urges Govt. agencies
Kaieteur News – General Manager of the National Data Management Authority (NDMA), Christopher Deen recently underscored the urgency of dealing with cyber security threats, and has advised all Heads of Government Ministries and Agencies to report all threats as soon as they are detected.
NDMA’s Cyber Security Specialist, Mahendra Kissoon
He gave this advice on Thursday, October 5, 2023, at the NDMA’s cyber security training for Heads of Public Sector Agencies, hosted at the Arthur Chung Conference Center. The event signaled the official launch of Cyber Security Month which is observed annually in October.
Deen reminded the participating Agency Heads that cyber incidents do not go away on their own, noting that NDMA’s ICT specialists have the expertise to deal with these incidents but the team can only do so if reports are made to NDMA.
“Please do not wait until the mold spreads throughout the entire organization and the walls begin to crumble before you to take action. NDMA would have heard from some of you; we would have engaged, we would have provided technical support, and we would have assisted you (in the past) and we stand ready to do so now.”
Deen further disclosed that NDMA has a dedicated Security Operations Center (SOC) which provides 24-hour technical service on cyber security issues. All government agencies he said are urged to take advantage of these experts if there is ever a cyber security threat within their organizations.
General Manager of the National Data Management Authority (NDMA), Mr. Christopher Deen
The General Manager said that NDMA is committed to sharing its expertise with ICT specialists at the various entities to aid in developing their internal capacity.
“NDMA is here to offer you a helping hand. This (NDMA) is not an agency that will be running around dictating to you in a carrot and stick method; we are here to offer you a helping hand to develop your capacity in house because we cannot do it alone and we must work together to build this capacity in our country, in government, across Guyana.”
ACT IMMEDIATELY
Echoing similar sentiments, NDMA’s Cyber Security Specialist, Mahendra Kissoon, expounded on the fact that collaboration is paramount in promoting safe cyber spaces. He disclosed that NDMA detected and mitigated some 442 malware attacks at several government agencies in the first quarter of 2023 alone. This data he explained, comes from NDMA’s Security Operations Center (SOC) semiannual summary report for 2023.
Kissoon during his presentation advised that cyber security issues need immediate action to mitigate any lasting damages. He encouraged those present to report any cybersecurity issues so that ICT specialists could offer their expertise on a way forward.
He noted that there is a direct relationship between security and risks, explaining that the stronger the security, the smaller the risks of cyberattacks will be. Kissoon also encouraged the group to employ the necessary systems to mitigate these threats and prevent the loss of sensitive information.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
Policy-making by neglect
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- The ease with which Bharrat Jagdeo, General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party... more
Breaking the Chains of Poverty: A need for political will
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- The year 2024 has underscored a grim reality: poverty continues to be an unyielding... more
Weekend Cartoon
