BROADBAND, THE NEW LAMB FLAPS

Douveri Henao

Information Communication Technologies has revolutionized our way of life. Whether it’s igniting revolutions in the Middle East or providing markets for poor farmers in Africa, it has become a source of our existence. Papua New Guinea is no exception. The SBAL moratorium could easily be attributed to the campaign activities spearheaded by PNG bloggers and even the corruption that plagues our nation could be traced to the use of financial transactions using various ICT applications.

With the introduction of 3G by both carriers, the markets may expect a rise in the use of tablets and smart phones. For those that have these accessories, they would be familiar with the use of apps. From news coverage to telling you where the best restaurant is, they further brought information to us. Maps of all formats are also available, in fact my uncle in the village was so excited he told me he needs an iPad to ,map out his journey.

Our major government entities rely on ICT. From the systems in Treasury, case file managements in the courts to air and sea traffic controls. Maritime surveillance relies on these platforms as well. Although their budgets don’t raise interests they nonetheless have allocations albeit minimal, to carry out their activities. Some of these systems are collectively held with global systems or by advanced development partners such as Australia.

But on a personal level, consider your hard earn pay. It’s in a virtual vault most likely in a bank. Where it sits in a computer server that has a database that registers all your details. Your employer is also there, as well as your family and friends and your government as well. So every fortnight, it triggers a programme that sends money to your account. You are excited when you see your pay and off you go to the shops to do what every consumer does. Every purchase you make triggers another programme that permits the transaction and at the same time deducts your savings. It truly is a convenience.

Just think for a moment. That plastic in your wallet, bank account you have, the database that’s in it, the server that holds it, the programmes that respond to it, the infrastructure that interacts with its use, are all imported. Every single part of it. Not to fret, people employed to look after these important networks are some of our brightest. They build complicated encryption codes cyber kutis can’t come in and know where to go to get spare parts.

This week, the United States government made it clear that a cyber attack to governments can be seen as an act of war or terrorism. Australia announced today that will formulate a cyber security strategy. The G8 under its current Chair, French President Nicholas Sarkosy backed up by President Obama, want to push for a global treaty on regulating the internet. All these developments are coming at the back of major breaches in cyber security. These include the posting of classified US cables on wikileaks, “hactivists” crippling security and corporate companies main frames that oppose wikileaks, Lockhead Martin’s (largest defense company in the US) security breach and the recent gmail hacking by Chinese officials.

All these nations have systems beyond 3G for many years. They have purported impregnable security measures. They have the smartest people in the world to manage them. And a sizable resource to maintain and further improve them. Even with all this, it’s not been enough to stop the breaches that may destroy personal savings of its citizens and even technology that can endanger them.

So here is the big question, are our banks, financial institution, key government agencies like treasury, transport and security protect the system from an attack? The current environment suggests no, for the following reasons:

a) there is not a collective ICT facility monitoring the threats these key instillations in government or non government areas;

b) the private sector has not made any statement considering this as a threat;

c) government does not have a policy or legal framework;

d) the government has not partaken in any international discussions on ICT security;

e) there is no coordinated framework to develop capacity in ICT skill sets both in research and development as well as security. This perpetuates reliance on imported technology and skill sets and therefore subjects us to external shocks.

A rebuttal to my view is: taim masin bagarap, kaukau na pis stap, so em liklik samtin. Which is true, these gizmos are not a basic human need. However its fast becoming one and when we are not prepared on what harm it can give us, it’s like lamb flaps. It’s cheap, fills you up, feeds everyone and we cry out to whoever stops us from eating it. All this doesn’t diminish the fact that it’s highly toxic and can do serious damage to our heart. So let’s look at ICT in all its facet and work towards maximizing its benefits and collectively to improve its challenges.

The author is a Policy Trade Officer at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Fiji