442 malware attacks detected, mitigated at Govt agencies in 1st half of 2023

The National Data Management Authority (NDMA) detected and mitigated some 442 malware attacks at several Government agencies in the first quarter of 2023 alone.
This was revealed on Thursday during the NDMA’s cybersecurity training for heads of public sector agencies, hosted at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown. The event signalled the official launch of Cybersecurity Month, which is observed annually in October.
During the event, the General Manager of the National Data Management Authority (NDMA), Christopher Deen, while noting the urgency of dealing with cybersecurity threats, advised all heads of Government Ministries and agencies to report all cybersecurity threats as soon as they are detected.
Deen reminded the participating agency heads that cyber incidents do not go away on their own, noting that NDMA’s ICT specialists have the expertise to deal with these incidents but the team can only do so if reports are made to the authority.
“Please do not wait until the mould spreads throughout the entire organisation and the walls begin to crumble before you take action. NDMA would have heard from some of you; we would have engaged, we would have provided technical support, and we would have assisted you (in the past) and we stand ready to do so now.”
He further disclosed that NDMA has a dedicated Security Operations Centre (SOC) which provides 24-hour technical service on cybersecurity issues. All Government agencies are urged to take advantage of these experts if there is ever a cybersecurity threat within their organisation.
The General Manager said that NDMA is committed to sharing its expertise with ICT specialists at the various entities to aid in developing their internal capacity.
“NDMA is here to offer you a helping hand. This (NDMA) is not an agency that will be running around dictating to you in a carrot and stick method; we are here to offer you a helping hand to develop your capacity in-house because we cannot do it alone and we must work together to build this capacity in our country, in Government, across Guyana.”
Echoing similar sentiments, NDMA’s Cybersecurity Specialist, Mahendra Kissoon, expounded on the fact that collaboration is paramount in promoting safe cyber spaces.
He disclosed that NDMA detected and mitigated some 442 malware attacks at several Government agencies in the first quarter of 2023 alone. This data, he explained, comes from NDMA’s SOC semi-annual summary report for 2023.
Kissoon, during his presentation, advised that cybersecurity issues need immediate action to mitigate any lasting damages. He further encouraged those present to report any cybersecurity issues so that ICT specialists could offer their expertise on a way forward.
He noted that there is a direct relationship between security and risks, explaining that the stronger the security, the smaller the risks of cyberattacks will be.
Kissoon encouraged the group to employ the necessary systems to mitigate these threats and prevent the loss of sensitive information.