Mr Isaac Socrates Mensah, Senior Manager at the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) has urged media practitioners to consciously scrutinise messages and alerts they receive on their mobile phones as well as other Information technology (IT) appliances.
Addressing a sensitization forum put together by his outfit in partnership with the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) in Kumasi on Monday, the Senior Manager said many had lost money, vital information and suffered fraud just because they failed to examine the kind of information they got before responding to same.
He noted that cyberattacks and fraudulent acts abound on the internet, adding that even the initiated are sometimes swindled or defrauded by the acts of scammers or hackers.
“As we celebrate the month of October as the month for Cyber Security Awareness Creation, i would humbly urge all journalists to be cautious about messages and alerts they respond to on their phones and computers so that they do not become victims of cyber fraudsters”, Mr Mensah noted.
Security:
The CSA Manager also stressed the importance of securing personal information on telecommunication equipment including mobile phones and computers.
He asked the media not to place on their systems easy to be identified lock systems or codes.
Rather, he advised that strong passwords and codes are selected including the mixing of alphabets and numbers.
“I will suggest that to secure your information on your IT systems and on your accounts, strong passwords are placed on same so that it doesn’t make it easy for hackers or scammers to break through”, the CSA official appealed.
GJA General Secretary:
Mr Kofi Yeboah, General Secretary for the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) thanked the CSA for intensifying cyber security sensitization efforts within the media.
He noted that such educational outreaches help to put media persons on the alert about the dangers on the internet including cyberattacks and fraud.
The General Secretary also rallied the media to at all times cross check the information they receive from sources so that they do not lose their credibility.
“As media persons our trump card is a our credibility and in this age where misinformation and disinformation is rampant the key to being accurate with your reportage is checking and cross checking the kind of information you receive news sources”, Mr Yeboah stated.
Story By Michael Ofosu-Afriyie, Kumasi.
