Nigeria: NCC backs National Cyber Security Awareness Month
Nigeria: NCC backs National Cyber Security Awareness Month
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced that the organisation will participate in the National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) this October 2017, which is to be organised by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The NCC in a statement on their website revealed that they believe that the NCSAM is an opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity and to equip the Nigerian public with the tools and resources they need to stay safe.
The statement read “The Commission believes strongly in this mission. As a partner in the Department of Homeland Security’s Stop.Think.Connect. campaign, the NCC is committed to promoting online safety for everyone. During NCSAM, we urge every Nigerian to take steps to create a safer Internet – even small actions can make a huge difference in defending from cyber threats.”
The commission also highlighted some simple tips everyone can follow to keep themselves, their identities and their information safe online:
- Set strong passwords. Make them long and complex, change them regularly, and don’t share them with anyone.
- Secure your most sensitive accounts.When it is available, use multi-factor authentication to keep your accounts more secure.
- Treat personal information like money. Information about you, such as your purchase history and location has value… so be cautious about how your information is collected by apps and websites.
- Keep a clean machine. Regularly update the software on your Internet-connected devices, including PCs, smartphones, and tablets, to reduce the risk of infection from malware.
- Maintain an open dialogue. Talk with your family, friends, and community about Internet safety. With technology always changing, make the online safety conversation an ongoing and evolving conversation as well.
- Limit what you share. Control and limit who can see your information online by checking the privacy and security settings on your accounts and apps.
- Don’t believe everything you read. Be cautious about what you receive or read online—if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.
- When in doubt, throw it out. If you see a suspicious link in an email, tweet, social media post, or online advertising, it’s best to delete it or, if appropriate, mark it as junk.
By Dean Workman
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