The International Telecommunication Union has been organizing “
Digital Financial Services Security Clinics” for emerging economies since October 2021 to provide guidance to developing countries on implementing the security recommendations developed by ITU under the Financial Inclusion Global Initiative (FIGI). Some of these Security Clinics held in October - December 2021 were sponsored by the kind support of
Ministry of Science and ICT - Republic of Korea. The Security Clinics showcase the ITU DFS security lab and share knowledge with regulators and Central Banks on mitigating threats and vulnerabilities which can impact the security of digital financial services.
Under the Financial Inclusion Global Initiative program (FIGI), the ITU set up a DFS Security Lab in November 2020 to work in collaboration with DFS regulators on adopting a common methodology to manage security risks and conduct security audit for DFS applications.The objectives of the ITU DFS security lab are as follows:
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Support regulators to implement DFS security recommendations from FIGI (https://figi.itu.int/working-group-reports/).
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Conduct security audits on DFS applications (i.e., USSD, STK and Android DFS applications).
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Provide guidance on managing the DFS ecosystem security risks and mitigation measures.
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Organize security clinics targeting DFS regulators and providers to stay up to date with new vulnerabilities and mitigation measures.
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Conduct assessments on cyber preparedness among the DFS ecosystem stakeholders on responding to cybersecurity incidents targeting digital finance.
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Provide a neutral platform to share knowledge on security incidents and vulnerabilities in digital finance.
DFS Security Clinics Agenda
| Country/Region
| Entity/ Organization
| Date
|
2023
| Gambia
| The Gambia Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA)
| 5 – 6 June
|
East Africa
| East African Communications Organization (EACO)
| 8 – 9 February
|
Eastern Caribbean
| UNCDF-EU-OACP Partnership for Digital Financial Inclusion
| 17 – 19 January
|
2022
| Peru
| Superintendencia de Banca, Seguros y AFP (SBS)
| 1 – 2 December
|
West Africa
| West African Telecommunication Regulators Assembly (WATRA)
| 13 – 14 October
|
Sierra Leone
| National Telecommunications Commission (NATCOM)
| 26 – 27 September
|
Peru
| Superintendencia de Banca, Seguros y AFP (SBS)
| 8 – 9 September
|
Côte d’Ivoire
| Autorité de Régulation des Télécommunications de Côte D'Ivoire (ARTCI)
| 6 – 7 September
|
Democratic Republic of Congo
| Autorité de Régulation de la Poste et des Télécommunication du Congo (ARPTC)
| 26 – 27 July
|
Tanzania
| Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA)
| 11 – 12 July
|
East Africa
| East African Communications Organisation (EACO)
| 6 July
|
Gambia
| The Gambia Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA)
| 29 – 30 June
|
Pakistan
| State Bank of Pakistan (SBP)
| 1 – 2 June
|
SADC
| Communications Regulators' Association of Southern Africa (CRASA)
| 24 – 25 May
|
Rwanda
| Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA)
| 12 – 13 April
|
Pakistan
| State Bank of Pakistan (SBP)
| 12 – 13 April
|
East Africa
| East African Communications Organisation (EACO)
| 30 – 31 March
|
Zimbabwe
| Postal & Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (POTRAZ)
| 16 – 17 February
|
Zimbabwe
| Postal & Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (POTRAZ)
| 9 – 10 February
|
2021
| Malawi
| Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA)
| 7 – 8 December
|
Eswatini
| Eswatini Communications Commission (ESCCOM)
| 29 – 30 November
|
Nigeria
| Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)
| 17 – 18 November
|
Zimbabwe
| Postal & Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (POTRAZ)
| 27 – 28 October
|
Tunisia
| Institut Supérieur des Etudes Technologiques en Communications de Tunis (ISET’COM)
| 22 – 23 October
|
Malawi
| Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA)
| 12 – 14 October
|
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this webinar series were those of the panelists and do not reflect the official policy or position of the ITU.
