How Jamaican ICT Sector is being upgraded with ICT Act, Single ICT Regulator and Data Protection Act

“In some cases, critical systems have been taken offline in an effort to protect us against malicious threats. This level of vulnerability is not acceptable,” the minister emphasised.

Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Dr Andrew Wheatley , speaking on the need for increased security for Government Websites

Looks like the Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology is finally taking Government cybersecurity seriously, as new legislation is coming.

Dr Andrew Wheatley, recognizing the importance of ICT to the developement of Jamaica, has requested a more comprehensive audit assessment plan on the level of security of all government websites as reported in “Technology minister requests audit of all Gov’t websites”, published Wednesday, June 22, 2016, The Jamaica Observer.

He made this declaration during his presentation on Tuesday June 21^st 2016 during the 2016/17 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives. In his presentation, he also made mention of the coming of new legislation to prepare Jamaica for the coming ICT Revolution:

1.      Single ICT Regulator

2.      Data Protection Act

3.      Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Act

With the Data Protection Act, personal security of information for Jamaican citizens held on the various Government Databases against hackers will be protected, as this is critical to our future, to quote Minister Wheatley: “With increased use of technology and the use of electronic methods of storing data, we must ensure that the personal information of the people of Jamaica is safe and secure. The protection of our information is a right, not a privilege,”

However, what really caught my eye, though, was the coming Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Act that will replace the Telecom Act of 2016, ushering in a single ICT Regulator, to quote Minister Wheatley: “We have talked about it long enough. This administration will make it happen. A key component outcome of this new Act will be the creation of a Single ICT Regulator”.

So while I’m very excited and so should the Telecom Providers, why is this all happening?

Government Website attacks on the Rise – Ransomware and Phishing need

His request for a more comprehensive audit assessment plan on the level of security of all government websites comes at a time when a lot of Jamaica Government websites are being attacked as pointed out in my blog article entitled “Why Jamaican Government Websites are still hackable despite Cyber Incident Response Report”.

Cyberattacks have been on the rise against Jamaican Government websites since 2010, namely:

1.      Defacements

2.      DOS (Denial of Service)

3.      Phishing

4.      Ransomware

The latest one, Ransomware, involves hackers email with files that either contain hidden executable script or links to infected websites. This then infects the computer and encrypts the data, making it inaccessible to the user.

Then the user is then sent a ransom email or note, demanding that they pay money, usually in bitcoins to a bitcoin wallet such as Caricoin as explained in Kelroy’s blog article entitled “Caricoin – mobile wallet built for Bitcoin targeting Caribbean nationals” to have their harddrive unlocked and decrypted. Personal security of information means changing password, avoid clicking on suspicion extension and implementing two-step verification.

The current phishing attacks that netted the logins and passwords of LinkedIn and Twitter users accounts as pointed out in my blog article entitled “How to change your LinkedIn and Twitter Password after the Great Social Media Hacking of 2016” makes this need for personal security more obvious.

So what is the Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology doing about this?

Replacing the Telecom Act a bold Step - Single ICT Regulator to bring harmony to ICT Sector

Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Dr Andrew Wheatley ambitions plan to replace the Telecom Act of 2012 with the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Act makes this a very powerful piece of legislation.

It’s not just a response to increased cybersecurity attacks, but a preparation for the coming 4G LTE that Jamaica is undergoing thanks to competition from new Telecom Provider Caricel as explained in my blog article entitled “How Caricel's 4G LTE Network is being built by Alepo and Comtech Telecommunications Partnership”.

In effect, the upgrading the Telecoms Act to prepare Jamaica for the shift towards 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution), which Digicel has already launched as detailed in my blog article entitled “US$50 million 60Mbps Digicel LTE Network as Caricel and FLOW prep for August 2016 Launch”.

Digicel's LTE is already set to change how children use the internet on their commute on the JUTC bus as explained in detailed in my blog article entitled “How JUTC Buses for Manchester and Clarendon children will have Digicel LTE and Mobile Money”.

It will also open up the market for the Telecom Equipment Suppliers such as Huawei to sell other products aside from their Telecom Gear directly to customers as pointed out in my Geezam blog article entitled “Huawei’s ICT Innovation Exhibition 2016 set for Telecom and Enterprise Services”.

With eventually 5G Networks, which are slated to launch in 2020 as per the ITU (International Telecommunication Union) 5G IMT-2020 Roadmap as explained in my blog article entitled “ITU publishes 5G IMT-2020 Roadmap - Why US Telecom Providers, @Digicel_Jamaica and @LIMEJamaica like to travel off the beaten Path”, the Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology's single ICT Regulator will bring harmony to a increasingly complex Sector

By his actions, the Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Dr. Andrew Wheatley is preparing for an ICT future that will bring both benefits and new cybersecurity dangers.