NITA trains MDAs to set up computer emergency response team

Accra, Aug. 21, GNA – The National Information Technology Agency (NITA) on Tuesday commenced training for Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) on how to form Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) to provide security for government data.

The training is expected to empower and provide the MDAs with the necessary tools and step-by-step processes required to start their own CERTs.

Mr William Tevie, Director-General of NITA, speaking at the opening of a week-long workshop said, “We must be reminded that security is a process and we must be ready for possible attacks on our network.”

He said there was the need to maintain a reasonable level of security awareness and a reporting structure to efficiently handle incidence that were detected.

He noted that NITA has formed an emergency response team to coordinate CERT with MDAs as constituents.

“NITA will therefore assist each MDA set up an incidence response center within the MDA to respond reported cases of cyber fraud,” he added.

Mr Tevie said this was the first in the series of training workshops which would include the setting up and management of CERT within their specific organisation.

The Director-General said NITACERT was currently working on finding out vulnerabilities on all national and government websites and would recommend to operators to apply the necessary patches to mitigate risk of the sites being hatched.

He re-affirmed NITA's commitment to provide quality service and support to MDA, adding that the agency was upgrading the wireless network to 4G in the second phase of the e-government project.

He said this would see additional 30 more base stations in addition to existing 30 base stations to improve the reach of the wireless network.

Dr Nii Quaynor, Chairman of NITA, said cyber security had become a global threat, hence the government was doing all it could to fight the menace.

He called on the youth who were computer experts to channel their expertise in the development of software rather than cyber fraud.

Dr Quaynor noted that the youth with that expertise could also support in solving some of the technological challenges facing the nation.

GNA