After three years of developing a cyber security policy, the Department of Communications (DOC) has now passed it on to the State Security Agency (SSA) for development.
Speaking at a Parliamentary portfolio committee meeting last week, acting deputy director-general of ICT infrastructure, Jabu Radebe, said the policy framework on cyber security was decided by the security cluster.
In March, Cabinet approved the National Cyber Security Policy Framework for SA. It outlines policy positions that are intended to address national security threats in cyberspace; combat cyber warfare, cyber crime and other cyber ills; and develop, review and update existing substantive and procedural laws to ensure alignment.
Mandate swop
The DOC commenced the development of the policy, which has to cover cyber crime, as well as cyber security, three years ago. Critical security issues were identified during the process and so it was necessary to develop a fully-fledged security strategy, resources and capacity, according to Radebe.
Subsequently, the SSA was mandated to develop the cyber security policy framework and implement it.
DOC DG Rosey Sekese added that cyber security could have implications for national security and the decision to transfer responsibility to the SSA does not undermine the DOC.
“Cyber crime threats are global curses of advances in technology. This means that our electronic communications networks must be ultra-secure in order to build confidence among the users of e-commerce platforms,” communications minister Dina Pule previously said.
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