The Angolan government is preparing an infrastructure capable of ensuring the digital identification of Angolans, through a digital signature. The guarantee was given by the Secretary of State for Information Technologies, Mário Augusto Oliveira, when giving the opening speech of the National Conference on Cyber Security.
It is, according to the Governor, the Angola's National Public Key Infrastructure (ICP-Angola) and aims, among other objectives, to guarantee security in electronic transactions, strong authentication and electronic signatures, integrity and reliability in electronic transactions.
The measure, further advanced Mário Augusto Oliveira, is also related to the “absolute need” to protect user data and networks, as well as ensuring that people surf the internet safely, as a way to respond to the cyber threat scenario that the world faces.
“ICPA-Angola will be modern, integrated, interoperated, through the line of the SADC Region, with ease of adoption, agility and adaptation to technological evolution”, he referred.
In addition to this infrastructure, the Secretary of State said that the Ministry of Telecommunications, Information Technologies and Social Communication is working towards the creation of legal and regulatory conditions for the operationalization of the Center for Studies, Responses and Treatment of Computer Incidents, which will culminate in the approval of the National Cybersecurity Strategy, a document that, according to what he made known, could mitigate the risks associated with the use of technologies due to the fact that more citizens and organizations are carrying out their activities through the Internet.
Mário Caetano Oliveira defended that Cybersecurity should be considered a national priority, as it affects all aspects of the political and social ecosystem of citizens.
“The risks and threats in Cyberspace can become a possible attack on people's dignity, credibility, reputation and assets of companies and public institutions, and have effects on public security or even on national security,” he said.
Among the objectives of the National Cybersecurity Strategy, listed by the government official, emphasis is placed on the promotion of the conscious, free, safe and efficient use of cyberspace, the protection of fundamental rights such as freedom of expression, personal data and citizens' privacy.
The Secretary of State for Information Technologies considered the human being as one of the main flaws in information security, because "it is proven that 90% of cyber attacks can be avoided simply if we improve security practices".
However, he considered taking proactive cyber security measures the creation of complex and robust passwords and their regular alteration, the elimination of e-mails of unknown origin, without however opening it. other measures include not following links received from emails whose origin is unknown and using institutional emails for professional purposes, as well as installing up-to-date browsers and antivirus.
