The leadership of Nigerian Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has disclosed apart from suffering about 2,175 reported cyber attacks in 2015, it was ranked as the most 17th attacked nation in the world within the period. The ranking was from a threat intelligence drawn from Check Point Software Technologies by global payment giant, Paypal.com.
Explaining more during the recent inauguration of the national cyber security strategy in Abuja, the Director-General of the agency, Mr. Isa Patanmi, said a total of 585 government-owned websites were among the 2,175 Nigeria websites hacked in the Office of the National Security Adviser in 2015.
He revealed further that about 14 percent of the 97 million internet users in Nigeria suffered cyber attacks, which he said had necessitated the setting up of Cyber Security Committee.
Patanmi said “A total of 585 government-owned websites were among the 2,175 Nigerian websites hacked in 2015, the Office of the National Security Adviser said recently. Of about 97 million internet users in Nigeria, about 14 percent suffered cyber attacks,” the statement said.
According to him, government websites had often been hacked as cyber security threats continue to grow in the West African nation.
He explained that the need for the Committee rose from the idea to strengthen cyber security in Nigeria and to raise awareness among the citizens on the need to guide against cyber threats, the use of encryption and human and institutional capacity building, among others.
Investigations show that it was due to incessant attacks that many Nigerian banks and even government agencies host their servers abroad including Israel and USA.
