14 DAY TRIAL // Last week, the Nigerian government launched a Computer Emergency Readiness and Response Team (CERRT.ng).
The new agency is an initiative of the country’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and its role is to provide support in handling cyber security incidents.
The CERRT.ng ecosystem aims at developing cyber security readiness “through fostering the development of sectorial Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) and Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRTs).”
At launch, Acting Director General of NITDA, Dr. Ashiru Daura, revealed that CERRT.ng had developed cyber security policies, strategies and standards for identifying cyber threats and coordinating responses, Africa Time reported.
“As stakeholder of the CERRT.ng Ecosystem, your organisation will manage its own activities. However, you will find a willing partner in NITDA CERRT.ng to assist and empower you and your organisation to safely and securely achieve your organisations cyber mandate and ambitions in cyber space,” Dr. Daura noted.
“NITDA in keeping to its mandate looks forward to sharing the cyber related policy templates it has, encouraging interested local organisations and groups to participate in hands on global cyber-drills and focusing on empowering our youth with the knowledge and tools to develop a home grown Cyber Security Solutions industry.”
One of the first initiatives of CERRT.ng is The Nigerian HoneyNet Project, in which the government, ISPs, telecommunication companies and critical infrastructure organizations are involved. These stakeholders are provided the framework for sharing information on malicious sources and cyberspace clean-up procedures.
CERRT.ng has three core components: a Fusion Center for monitoring cyberspace; a section that focuses on raising awareness, training, liaisons and communications; and a cyber-forensics laboratory where incidents are analyzed.