Businesses urged to take issues of cybersecurity seriously

Experts at a forum held in Accra have challenged managers heading cyber-security departments of companies to take issues of cyber security more seriously.

They maintained that cybersecurity was no longer just an IT issue, but a business imperative that required greater attention at every level of an organisation.

The forum, organised by PwC, brought together IT and security experts, regulators and some heads of corporate bodies.

On the theme: Leadership strategies for cyber resilience and growth, the forum discussed topics including cybersecurity as a business priority; leadership driving cybersecurity; organisational preparedness for cyber incidents, investing in technology and people; and measuring and continuous improvement within cyberspace.

Cybersecurity is essential

The head of security at MTN Ghana, Jacqueline Hanson-Kotei said issues of cybersecurity concern everyone in a company and not just the IT department. "When an IT problem occurs, it affects the entire chain of work and disrupts business activities," she explained. 

She said cybersecurity was essential to protect a company's reputation, customer data and ultimately, its bottom line. 

She also highlighted the growing importance of collaboration in cybersecurity, noting that stakeholders must come together to realise its true objective. 

"No single organisation can tackle cyber threats alone, we must share intelligence, best practices and expertise to stay ahead of the threats,” she stated.

For his part, the Chief Information Officer of GCB, Abel Lomotey Daitey, challenged IT professionals to become persuasive agents who can engender trust and belief among industry players. 

Detailed analysis

The Director of PwC South Africa, Marco Loots, cautioned cybersecurity experts to pay attention to detail. 

"A single vulnerability can compromise an entire system," he said, adding that, there is, therefore, the need for rigorous risk assessments, continuous monitoring and incident response planning to stay ahead of cyber threats.

He added that the role of a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) was a major role in any company and urged support from companies by providing the needed tools to ensure a perfect job was done by the CISO.