Zim receives $400 000 to counter cyber threats

ZIMBABWE has received $400 000 from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) to establish a computer research team that will respond to cyber threats.

Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) deputy director general Mr Alfred Marisa said this during the WSBI Africa Regional Group Meeting in Victoria Falls last week.

The meeting was attended by representatives of banking institutions and regulators from 11 countries.

WSBI Africa Regional Group was established to bring together the members in the region to keep close exchange on specific issues and to promote the exchange of best practices and create business cooperation opportunities.

It represents 36 financial institutions from 22 countries.

Local banks, Agribank and People’s Own Savings Bank (POSB) were the hosts.

Mr Marisa said Zimbabwe still has a lot of work to do in terms of cyber crime protection.

“Very soon we will set up a computer institute research committee which will have a national approach on how to respond to cyber threats.

“We are working with ITU which has offered $400 000 towards this project and setting up of the committee,” he said.

Mr Marisa did not give much detail on when the committee would be set up.

The ITU recently held a Study Group 13 in Victoria Falls where information communication technologies experts from across the globe gathered.

The development comes at a time when the country is in the process of crafting a Cyber Crime Bill which seeks to protect information and communication technology (ICT) users from cyber crime such as theft and fraud.

The Bill will fulfill the international obligations of Zimbabwe on cyber protection as well as protect consumers of various online services such as banking.