Nigerian ICT experts Back new Measures on Internet Security

THE internet com

President Nigeria Internet Registration Association,Mrs Mary Uduma & President Association Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria,Engr. Lanre Ajayi

munity in the country has called for the deployment of the on Domain Name System Security Extensions(DNSSEC)  in order to halt the growing menace of internet insecurity in Nigeria.

The stakeholders at a three-day Summit held at the Digital Bridge Institute, Lagos noted that there are unique business opportunities for the private sector, if the country adopts the new DNSSE saying that it is currently a growing phenomenon in the developed economy.

The Summit, which was organised by the Africa Information and Communication Technologies Alliance (AfICTA) an association of ICT organizations in Africa, had participants from across Africa.

Participants at the Summit with the theme, ‘Fulfilling the Promise of the Digital Age in Africa’ brainstorm on the need for Africa be free from the current snag of being unfit for e-commerce.

Leading the discussion, senior program manager, DNSSE at the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), Mr. Richard  

Lamb said that cyber security is becoming a greater concern to enterprise and government as well as end users adding that DNSSEC is the solution.

He noted that while Domain Name System (DNS) is vulnerable to attack, the DNSSEC is more secured adding that the Secure Sockets Layer(SSL) and Transport Layer Security does not disclose whether one is one the right website.

According to him, DNSSEC is the biggest security upgraded internet infrastructure developed in the last 20 years stressing, that it is a platform for new security applications, which offers business opportunities.

He said that DNSSEC infrastructure adoption has been brisk but requires expertise saying, getting ahead with the DNSSEC is a competitive advantage.

Lamp, who has been part of ICANN's security team and has over 25 years of Internet experience as engineer, entrepreneur, and policy expert said that major countries in the world like Sweden, Brazil, Netherlands and the Czech Republic is encouraging the deployment of DNSSEC adding that there is a growing support for it major players in the IT industry.

He said that Apple,Google, Microsoft and Mozilla bought into the deployment of DNSSEC saying that about 80 per cent of domain names could possibly be DNSSEC complaint soon.

He further said that ISPs are currently supporting the deployment of DNSSEC stating that the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), which develops and promotes Internet standards, is also promoting standards base on DNSSEC.

Lamp who is a frequent speaker and a driving force behind DNSSEC's deployment as a cross-organizational, transnational platform for Internet security innovation and opportunity regretted that few IT firms have taken steps about DNSSEC adding that not even enough IT department and in the public and private sector know about it.

Highlighting further the new security product, he said that it is an improvement on web SSL certificates and essential for secured emails, validates remote login and secure VOIP.

Describing it as a major means of increasing trust in e-commerce in Africa, he said that DNSSEC essentially secures content delivery and identity system.

Chairman, Computer Society of Kenyan,Dr. Waudo Siganga said that  security, stability and resilience of the internet are keys to business concern.

According to him, ICANN plays a formidable role in the decision making about public policy on the internet saying that there is time for increasing participation in policy formulation.

 Also speaking , Ms Marilyn Cade, President  ICT Strategies, Chief Catalyst IGF USA and a leading Internet users and business defender in ICANN made several unique observations and advocating, in particular, the need for moderation of mindsets and skills sets of those who make policies across the world.

 She advised AfICTA Board to be mindful of limitations of governments and of the capacity of business communities to help governments adding that while it has been easy to get governments to appreciate and make investments into infrastructure and human resource, it has not yet been popular to find Governments make investments into Research and development in ICT.

 President of the Nigerian Internet Registration Association (NiRA), Mrs. Mary Uduma disclosed that ICANN is the developer and proponent of the DNSSEC assuring that NiRA as a member of ICANN would take the message of the summit to government and that as collaborator in the summit his members would key into the new security product.

 She that NiRA is going to implement the deployment of DNSSEC in the registry so that when an organisation’s website is DNSSEC complaint, it becomes secured.

 According to her, if the country wants to build trust in its online transaction and business then all website and e-commerce portals must be DNSSEC complaint.

 Nduma noted that NIRA has identified business opportunities in the deployment of DNSSEC, which will improve the business of its members adding that in the light of the current growth of e-commerce in the country it would help to secure transaction so that it terminates at the right location.

 She said that a transaction carried out on a DNSSEC website secured and that the transaction cannot be intercepted.

 Nduma while assuring that NIRA would implement the DNSSEC in the association said that once a domain name is .ng security of that name is assured.

 While reacting to questions on why most people have not accepted the .ng domain, she said that NiRA is aware and that it is doing more sensitization adding that NiRA has open up its second level domain that makes possible for people to open a website with their name.