(MENAFN- The Maravi Post) LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Malawi has set up a computer emergency response team (Cert) at Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) to facilitate securing of the country's cyberspace.

According to MACRA Cert will also be working hand in hand with other cyber experts in commercial banks, Malawi Police Service and Malawi Defence Force to ensure that issues of cyber crime are dealt with decisively

Macra director of finance Ben Chitsonga told The Maravi Post in an interview on the sidelines of a three-day Cert workshop in Lilongwe this week that they have invited experts in cyber security from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) to assess and impart their expertise to Malawi authorities on how the Cert can be set up.

Chitsonga said the country cannot afford to work in isolation in dealing with cyber crime.

'We are hopeful that by July 1, we will have the Cert in Macra operational. This Cert will also be working hand in hand with other cyber experts in commercial banks, Malawi Police Service and Malawi Defence Force to ensure that issues of cyber crime are dealt with decisively.

'Cyber crime is real and we need to have proper instruments in place so that we move in the right direction. I know some institutions have been affected by cyber criminals, but they do not come out for fear of losing trust. ITU is helping us to check our readiness to set up the Cert,' he said.

ITU regional programme officer for Africa Anne Rita Ssemboga commended Malawi for putting in place instruments that will help the country deal with cyber crime.

Ssemboga said Malawi needs to take issues of cyber crime seriously because Internet has completely changed how business is done these days.

'We are proud that Malawi is taking this issue seriously. Cyber crmes are a real phenomenon, and as people continue transacting online, there is a risk. Even banks are doing business online,' said Ssemboga.

According to with International Telecommunication Union (ITU) 80% of Africans (80 million people) have access to technologies that phone access should be 419 million in 2020 and 1..7 billion people acquire spectrum which a limited and controlled resource hence the need to prevent it from cyber attacks.

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