See full statement from the National Data Management Authority (NDMA):
The General Manager of the National Data Management Authority (NDMA), Mr. Christopher Deen, noting the urgency of dealing with cyber security threats, is advising all Heads of Government Ministries and Agencies to report all cybersecurity threats as soon as they are detected.
He gave this advice on Thursday, October 5, 2023, at the NDMA’s cybersecurity training for Heads of Public Sector Agencies, hosted at the Aurthur Chung Conference Center. The event signaled the official launch of Cybersecurity Month which is observed annually in October.
Mr. Deen reminded the participating Agency Heads that cyber incidents do not go away on their own, noting that NDMA’s ICT specialists have the expertise to deal with these incidents but the team can only do so if reports are made to NDMA.
“Please do not wait until the mold spreads throughout the entire organization and the walls begin to crumble before you to take action. NDMA would have heard from some of you; we would have engaged, we would have provided technical support, and we would have assisted you (in the past) and we stand ready to do so now.”
Mr. Deen further disclosed that NDMA has a dedicated Security Operations Center (SOC) which provides 24-hour technical service on cyber security issues. All government agencies are urged to take advantage of these experts if there is ever a cyber security threat within their organization.
The General Manager said that NDMA is committed to sharing its expertise with ICT specialists at the various entities to aid in developing their internal capacity.
“NDMA is here to offer you a helping hand. This (NDMA) is not an agency that will be running around dictating to you in a carrot and stick method; we are here to offer you a helping hand to develop your capacity in house because we cannot do it alone and we must work together to build this capacity in our country, in government, across Guyana.”
ACT IMMEDIATELY
Echoing similar sentiments, NDMA’s Cyber Security Specialist, Mahendra Kissoon, expounded on the fact that collaboration is paramount in promoting safe cyber spaces. He disclosed that NDMA detected and mitigated some 442 malware attacks at several government agencies in the first quarter of 2023 alone. This data he explained comes from NDMA’s Security Operations Center (SOC) semiannual summary report for 2023.
Mr. Kissoon during his presentation, advised that cyber security issues need immediate action to mitigate any lasting damages. He encouraged those present to report any cybersecurity issues so that ICT specialists could offer their expertise on a way forward.
He noted that there is a direct relationship between security and risks, explaining that the stronger the security, the smaller the risks of cyberattacks will be. Mr. Kissoon encouraged the group to employ the necessary systems to mitigate these threats and prevent the loss of sensitive information.
