In cybersecurity, people are the weakest link. People are the users - they develop the systems, they elaborate the policies and they put in place the strategies to secure transactions. Capacity-building and a high level of user awareness is thus one of the key challenges we face today.

Similar to any user of modern infrastructure such as roads, children surfing in a cybercafé need a basic awareness of how to benefit from ICTs safely, whilst avoiding some of the dangers. They need to be aware of the dangers associated with not knowing whom they are dealing with. They need to be aware of the risks of revealing personal information (including their name, telephone number and address) to cyberhawks, who may pretend to be children and lure them towards a physical meeting.

Governments have to draw up policies to meet their national objectives and commitments for national security purposes. Policy-makers and regulators need to be aware of the dangers related to the modification of sensitive medical data or unauthorized access to such systems. Legislators must have a basic knowledge of how legal instruments map to existing technological solutions in place.

With the important role that ICTs play today in providing services in sectors as varied as health, education, finance and commerce, awareness of the opportunities offered by a secure cyberspace and on the threats inherent in an insecure cyberspace are vital to meeting national priorities. More active programmes for capacity-building on the basics of cybersecurity and strategies for engineers, Internet Service Providers and network operators who run and operate the networks and IT infrastructure would help enhance the networked environment where networks and host are interconnected to form a borderless and global infrastructure. It is often said that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link and, in an era of global connectivity, it is important that this connectivity should also extend to knowledge and know-how.

Programmes aimed at creating a level playing-field in raising basic awareness and building capacity need to be undertaken within the framework of international cooperation.
 

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