Jamaica: 4de Nationale Cyber Security Conferentie

Thema: “Mobile Money, Online Banking en Citizen Awareness”

Op maandag en dinsdag, 28-29 november 2016 werd de vierde Nationale Cyber Security Conferentie georganiseerd. Als thema werd gekozen ‘Mobile Money, Online Banking en Citizen Awareness’. De conferentie werd gehouden in de regionale hoofdkantoren van de Universiteit van de ‘West Indies’ (UWI) in Kingston Jamaica.

Een van de doelen van de tweedaagse conferentie was om om informatie te verstrekken aan belanghebbenden over de wijze waarop cyberdreigingen geïdentificeerd kunnen worden. Ook werden economische, juridische, regelgeving- en ethische kwesties verkend die verband houden met cybersecurity.

Het evenement bracht nationale, regionale en internationale partners bijeen die spraken over  ontwikkelingen in de cybersecurity en over databeschermingsstrategieën, ondermeer van belang voor de financiële sector, haar klanten en overheidsinstellingen.

Tijdens de conferentie werd kennis over cyber uitdagingen gedeeld met de participanten aan de conferentie, werden ‘best practices’ gepresenteerd van beschermingsmaatregelen zoals die in de praktijk in de industrie genomen worden. Ook werd gepresenteerd hoe je cyber audits uit kan voeren voor ondernemers en het MKB.

De conferentie werd georganiseerd door het Mona ICT Policy Centre, gelegen op het terrein van  het Caribisch Instituut voor Media en Communicatie (CARIMAC), en de UWI in samenwerking met de International Telecommunication Union (ITU) en de wereldwijde Internet Society (ISOC).

Onderwerpen die tijdens de conferentie behandeld werden gingen over de kansen en bedreigingen van online en mobiele financiële diensten. Tijdens de sessies werd ook ingegaan op onderwerpen als:

– Cybersecurity en Mobile Money;

– Ransomware, Malware, DNS, Hacking en andere Cybersecurity bedreigingen;

– Bescherming van het Telecom Netwerk;

– Regulatory, beleid en wetgevende kwesties

– Creëren van awareness bij burgers.

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(Engelstalige) reacties verschenen in de pers          

Take precautions when conducting mobile money transactions

4th National Cyber Security Conference

Theme: “Mobile Money, Online Banking and Citizen Awareness”

The fourth National Cyber Security Conference on Mobile Money, Online Banking and Citizen Awareness will take place on Monday and Tuesday, November 28-29, 2016 at the UWI Regional Headquarters, Kingston Jamaica. The two-day Conference will aim to provide information to stakeholders on how to identify cyber threats. It will also explore the economic, legal, regulatory and ethical issues involved in cyber security.

The event will bring together national, regional and international partners who will discuss evolving cyber security and data protection strategies affecting the financial sector, its customers and government agencies. The event will feature expert Conference Presenters who will share knowledge on cyber challenges, existing best practices in the industry, protection measures and how to conduct cyber audits for entrepreneurs and SME‘s.

The Conference is being hosted by the Mona ICT Policy Centre, located in the Caribbean Institute of Media and Communication (CARIMAC) , UWI in association with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the global Internet Society (ISOC).

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Cybersecurity Conference To Address Concerns With Online Business

Published:Sunday | November 27, 2016 | 12:00 AM

With growing concerns for the security of individuals conducting business online, seven international speakers will lead local experts at the fourth national cybersecurity two-day conference, scheduled to begin tomorrow and conclude on Tuesday at the University of the West Indies’ Regional Headquarters.

The conference is being held under the theme ‘Mobile Money, Online Banking and Citizen Awareness’ in association with the Mona Policy Centre at the Caribbean Institute of Media and Communication (CARIMAC).

International speakers will include Jane Coffin, director of strategy at the Global Internet Society based in Washington, DC, United States; Praveen Amancherla, chief technology officer at Quisk Inc, USA; Shiva Bissessar, a cybersecurity specialist from Trinidad and Tobago; Adekunle Ajiboye, systems innovator and entrepreneur from Ontario, Canada; Karsten Becker, US-based innovator and online banking specialist; Shernon Osepa, manager of regional affairs for Latin America and the Caribbean for the Internet Society; and Cleveland Thomas, Caribbean area representative for the International Telecommunications Union.

LOCAL SPEAKERS

Local speakers will include Ambassador Richard Bernal, UWI Pro Vice-Chancellor for Global Affairs; Julian Robinson, opposition spokesman on information and knowledge economy; Professor Hopeton Dunn, director, CARIMAC, UWI; Georgia Gibson Henlin, attorney-at-law; and Dr Maurice McNaughton, director, Centre of Excellence for IT Enabled Innovation at the Mona School of Business and Management UWI.

Minister of Science, Energy and Technology Dr Andrew Wheatley and Patrick Hylton, group managing director of National Commercial Bank, will be guest speakers.

The conference will feature a wide range of expert panels on the opportunities and risks associated with online and mobile financial services. Sessions will cover such topics as Cybersecurity and Mobile Money; Ransomware, Malware, DNS, Hacking and other Cybersecurity Threats; Protecting the Telecoms Network; Regulatory, Policy and Legislative Issues, and Building Citizen Awareness.

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Take precautions when conducting mobile money transactions

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/Take-precautions-when-conducting-mobile-money-transactions

• Director of the Mona Information and Communication Technology Policy Centre, Mona Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Professor Hopeton Dunn (2nd right), enjoys a light conversation with (from left) Senior Advisor to the Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Trevor Forrest; Area Representative for the Caribbean International Telecommunications Union, Cleveland Thomas; and Director of the Centre of Excellence for IT-Enabled Innovation, Mona School of Business and Management, Dr. Maurice McNaughton. Occasion was the opening of the fourth National Cyber Security Conference at the Regional Headquarters, UWI, on November 28. (Photo: JIS) –

KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — People utilising their cell phones to conduct money transactions, including banking, paying bills and purchasing goods and services, are being urged to take greater precautions.

Director of the Mona Information and Communication Technology Policy Centre, at the Mona Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Professor Hopeton Dunn, said people using the mobile Internet are less inclined to take the precautions necessary, compared to those who are working on a personal computer in an office.

He said there is need to raise awareness of the potential danger, as failure to do so could result in persons or companies falling victim to Internet hacking.

Professor Dunn, who is also Director of the Caribbean Institute of Media and Communications (CARIMAC), was addressing the opening of a two-day National Cyber Security Conference at the Regional Headquarters of the UWI on November 28.

He expressed the hope that the conference, which is in its fourth year of staging, will inform public policy as it relates to cyber security.

The event has influenced the creation of the Cyber-Incident Response Team in the Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology and the move to establish an Internet Exchange Point (IXP) facility.

The IXP will allow for Internet traffic to be routed within Jamaica for processing, instead of through overseas providers as currently obtains, allowing for faster and cheaper Internet access.

Sponsored by the National Commercial Bank (NCB), the conference is being held under the theme ‘Mobile Money, Online Banking and Citizen Awareness’.

The bank’s Senior General Manager for Group Operations and Technology, Howard Gordon, said the conference was being staged at a time when NCB is improving its internal online security using sophisticated technology.

“The technology is one of the most secure… used globally by banks and other entities. This upgrade was effected in an attempt to minimise and potentially stave off any form of disruption that may be leveraged against our system,” he pointed out.

The conference is expected to examine issues related to cyber security and mobile money; countering cybercrime; protecting telecommunications services; banking and e-Government; cyber threats to online banking; and building citizen awareness.

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Gov’t to strengthen legislation to protect personal information in cyberspace

Wednesday, November 30, 2016 |

 

KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — The Government will be making changes to critical pieces of legislation that will enable a more robust framework in protecting personal information in cyberspace.

These include the Data Protection Act, which is slated to be tabled in Parliament next year, and the establishment of a single Regulator for information and communications technology (ICT).

This was disclosed by Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Dr Andrew Wheatley, during the fourth National Cyber Security Conference, held at the Regional Headquarters of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, yesterday.

“Common sense dictates that those two must be the priority, and so we will be delivering on those and we are way advanced. I think drafting instructions were given as it relates to the Data Protection Act, while the consultants are wrapping up as it relates to the single ICT Regulator. They made a presentation to Cabinet recently and Cabinet is still mulling over (that),” he said.

Wheatley said protecting the identity and information of Jamaicans is integral and necessary “if we want to push this agenda of ensuring that we incorporate ICT in our everyday lives.”

The Data Protection Act will safeguard, in general, the privacy of individuals in relation to personal data as well as govern the collection, regulation, processing, keeping, use and disclosure of certain information in physical or electronic form.

The legislation will seek to set out the rights of the individual, with respect to their personal data. This will include, for example, the right to confirm whether or not personal information or data is being processed by an organization.

Establishment of the stand-alone converged ICT Regulator will involve the fusion of the telecommunications regulatory functions of the Office of the Utilities Regulation, the radio spectrum technical functions of the Broadcasting Commission, and the spectrum management functions of the Spectrum Management Authority.

In the meantime, Wheatley encouraged Jamaicans to take the necessary preventative measures to protect their identities while they are online.

“We need to use strong passwords, we need to think before we click, beware of online offers or emails asking for personal information, and check the websites you visit,” he said.

The two-day conference is being hosted by the Caribbean Institute of Media and Communication (CARIMAC), University of the West Indies, under the theme ‘Mobile Money, Online Banking and Citizen Awareness’.

It is expected to examine issues related to cybersecurity and mobile money; countering cybercrime; protecting telecommunication services; banking and e-Government; cyberthreats to online banking; and building citizen awareness.

The conference is an initiative of the Mona ICT Policy Centre, CARIMAC, in association with the Internet Society and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).