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Transnational Cyber Crime Threatens Namibia’s Digital Growth

As Namibia continues to adopt digital financial services and internet access, it is essential that the country develops suitable defensive mechanisms and controls to combat the growing threat of cyber crime.

Feature Phones: A Hidden Security Risk

A recent study by Kaspersky Lab revealed that feature phones from China, widely used in Africa, may introduce security risks unknown to users. These phones were found to leak user data and even steal money by sending hidden text messages to paid numbers. The use of Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) codes for accessing digital financial services on feature phones has also been identified as a potential threat.

National and Sector-Specific Threat Intelligence and Communication Centers

Namibia’s lack of national center for identifying vulnerabilities and threats hinders the country’s ability to respond to cyber incidents effectively. While some private sector companies provide threat analysis and monitoring services, these are limited and not included by default in most organizations.

• The absence of detailed and reliable cyber crime threat information specific to Namibia has led to ineffective initiatives and policies to address the impact of cyber crime.
• The lack of a national center for identifying vulnerabilities and threats hinders the country’s ability to respond to cyber incidents effectively.

Low Cybersecurity Awareness in Rural and Limited-Access Populations

In rural areas where internet access is low, there is a high level of vulnerability among inhabitants who are exposed to online risks. The lack of national cyber awareness and resilience program exacerbates this issue.

• The Fiber to the Village project has increased internet access in rural communities, but this has also introduced new cyber risks.
• Organizations, especially micro- to medium enterprises, are inadequately prepared to guard against a growing cyber crime ecosystem.

Toward a Stronger National Cybersecurity Strategy

The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology has launched a National Cybersecurity Strategy and Awareness Creation Plan aimed at protecting critical information infrastructure, educating the public, and collaborating with public and private entities on cybersecurity.

• The plan targets government employees, schools, and the general public, with a focus on building awareness around mobile technologies and safe use of applications.
• The implementation of the plan began with a memorandum of understanding between the government and SALT Essential IT for an initial five-year period to develop and deliver cybersecurity training to the government sphere.

Conclusion

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Raising awareness is one building block for an improved security posture, but a meshed approach that includes partnerships with the private sector is required. Targeted solutions are needed to build up security nationally, especially in a country with low levels of digital inclusion and literacy.

• Namibia must establish a network of private and public entities for information-sharing and initiating actionable response to combat the increasing threat of cyber crime.
• The country’s unique context and cultural differences require tailored approaches to building security awareness and skills.