Establishing cyber security agency
The use of
cyber networks is increasingly becoming vulnerable to attacks through malware
Sooner the government does this, the better. Though the government is yet to go a long way in the world of ICT, the fact of the matter is many of the public and private offices now completely depend on internet. Official work and important data keeping are now soft-ware based. But the use of cyber networks is increasingly becoming vulnerable to attacks through malware. The recent large-scale cyber attack on the global level has exposed this vulnerability even more seriously. One malicious ransomware infected computers in over 150 countries across the world, locking up more than 200,000 computers.
A number of computers of Bangladesh were also attacked by the malware. Moreover, the memory of the heist in Bangladesh Bank is still fresh in our mind. Given the present situation of insecure internet networks, the necessity of having a cyber security law followed by establishment of a cyber security agency is now being actively considered.
According to a report published in this newspaper yesterday, after the passage of law, the new cyber security agency will act under the Prime Ministers Office. The State Minister for Posts and Telecommunications Tarana Halim herself said about this plan of the government while she was inaugurating a car rally and road show in front of the office of Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC) on the occasion of the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day-2017 yesterday.
Currently, BTRC, NTMC and ICT Division are working on cyber security in their own different ways. After the set up of the agency, all works in this arena will be run in a coordinated manner. Yes, these separate efforts should be integrated through the proposed cyber agency. On the occasion of the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, President Abdul Hamid also stressed on this aspect of the integrated approach, not only nationally but also internationally.
The president was right to point out that newer strategies and innovative technologies must be developed for ICT security to keep the development process, trade and investment free from hackers.
The failure in ensuring cyber security will even more increase the risk which may result in the collapse of the countrys finance and banking institutions, trade and investment entities and service sector. That is why a cyber security law that would ensure establishment of an effective cyber security agency is the demand of time. The relevant people of the government should not delay in this.
