Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - Aujourd'hui 08:10

Balancing legislation, innovation to combat cyber attacks

Technology is changing the world. From automation to artificial intelligence to digital currency such as Bitcoin, technology has enhanced processes in several industries. But as the technology behind government systems, private organisations and personal devices evolves, so do the methods of criminals. They have adapted to developments in technology just as quickly as – and in some cases, even more quickly than – government bodies, businesses and people, so much so that businesses phenomena are viewing such as cyber attacks as inevitable. In 2023, chairman of Amalgamated Security Services Ltd Dr Michael Aboud said 168 cyber attacks occur in TT every minute. That same year, in July, the Ministry of Digital Transformation said the office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs (AGLA) was the victim of a cyber attack which negatively affected operations. But the attack was contained and the AGLA’s network was back to 100 per cent operation by September. Panellists in a discussion on the role of emerging technology in regional development hosted by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) at its office on Alexandra Street, St Clair, agreed governments have to balance the opportunities for innovation with legislation to stop criminals, to ensure the safe progress of technology in the region. The balancing act Chairman of digital business and technology in the TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce Kirk Henry said the delicate balance between innovation and regulation is, in essence, an exercise in risk management. “The dance is balancing risk and utility,” he said. “This thing is not for the faint of heart. "The reality is the bad actors will always be with us. There are good examples of the treatments that are applied for the risk that really extend across all entities. We have to have risk management to balance what we want to achieve with the archetype that we have for risk.” Devindra Ramnarine, digital transformation adviser at the Ministry of Digital Transformation, said government systems are under constant attack from hackers. “We get the reports. It is continuous. Some are even state-sponsored attacks, so they have unlimited funding. So we have to do what we have to do.” [caption id="attachment_1112587" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Hassel Bacchus, Minister of Digital Transformation. - File photo[/caption] He said the government is now engaging in that balancing act, ensuring most of its innovations are compliant with local laws and up to standard. “In the things that we do, we work very closely with our legal folks, making sure that whatever we do is compliant with legislation." He said the ministry ensures it operates as closely as possible to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) standards, because TT’s data-protection legislation is not exactly up to standard. The GDPR lays down the rules relating to protecting people with regard to the possession and processing of personal data. It also sets rules relating to the movement of personal data. The regulations seek to protect fundamental rights and freedoms, particularly the right to the protection of personal data. “I think that it is a good starting point to make sure we don’t have any missteps. If we do, we try to correct it as quickly as possible.” He added that some bad actors who engage in cyber attacks are sometimes better funded than the ministry, for one reason or another. “This means we are always – if I can use a cricket term – on the back foot,” he said. “Speaking specifically about the government and the Ministry of Digital Transformation, what we are doing is kick-starting risk assessments of at least 75 ministries, agencies and bodies that are going to work with us. We are proactively going to seek out the problems that may exist and come up with very powerful remedial actions to patch those capabilities.” Deonarine added that the ministry is working closely with IDB in its efforts at being able to respond to cyber attacks,and a proposal on responses is in the approval process now. “So when we are attacked – in some instances, when we are successfully attacked – we will know how and what to do and how to respond. Then we will have the capability to recover in the shortest time." Some of the other methods being used include improving the data centre for government information. Ramnarine said the government is also layering its cyber security with interconnecting agencies. “That is why we went with a tier four data centre. It is the highest level of certification for a data centre. We expect that most government systems would migrate into that data centre in the next year or two. So the core infrastructure, we are bumping that off.” He said the platform being used is based on X-Road, an open-source (free-to-use and modify) software and ecosystem solution that provides secure exchange between private- and public-sector organisations. The platform is at the core of Estonia’s range of services for the general public. Since each service has its own information system, all the government’s systems rely on X-Road for the secure transfer of outgoing and incoming data. Securing digital transformation The TT government has developed and is embarking on a digital transformation strategy, with the Ministry of Digital Transformation at the helm. The minister, Hassel Bacchus, in the roadmap for digital transformation published by the ministry, said its plan for digitising TT is focused on three pillars – the digital society, the digital economy and the digital government. “The digital-society pillar aims to make sure no one is left behind. The digital economy encourages growth in the information and communications technology (ICT) field, facilitates job creation and attracts investment. The digital government is designed to digitise government information and business processes for more efficient services,” he said in the roadmap’s preface. “Our digital transformation strategy is not merely a roadmap; it is a bold vision for a future where technology serves as the backbone of our national growth and prosperity. It is a call to action for every citizen, every business, and every institution to embrace the digital age, to think beyond the status quo, and to reimagine what is possible.” The national strategy was designed with the aim of positioning TT as a leader in the digital era. The objective is to enhance the quality of life for all citizens through technology. The IDB, in its support of TT’s digital transformation strategy, has engaged in several initiatives, including approving a project to promote the digital economy through support for government agencies and firms in 2024 and the approval of a programme to accelerate digital transformation in TT in 2023. This year, in January the IDB opened a tech lab to promote innovation and growth in the region. Bacchus, in remarks at the launch of the tech lab, said it will be an incubator and innovator for digital innovation. He said the business model for the Caribbean, at a glance, is to create mechanisms to harness the transformative potential of digital development across the region. “The facilities, resources and support mechanisms that are supported by them will mentor and train the next generation of ICT professionals and mentors as they develop new digital products and solutions.”   The post Balancing legislation, innovation to combat cyber attacks appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.