By CPA Mercy N. Bukania
My Visit to The Green Spaces
I had the opportunity to visit green spaces during my work to not only get in touch with nature but also bond with the elderly in our society, whom I like to call our ‘walking encyclopedias’.
In my interactions with a few of them, I realized they are very ‘digital’. I glanced at them as most made video calls to their loved ones, appreciating how the world has become a global village.
As an individual whose profession involves advising management on maintaining robust risk management frameworks, I could not help but ask myself this question. How safe are our ‘walking encyclopedias ‘in this digital edge? Who is ensuring their cyber safety? Are they a forgotten lot when it comes to cyber security?
A cyber security risk is a catastrophic event that leaves a trail of devastating effects, like raging floods.
Families, homes, finances, and employees are affected, among many more. These risks vary from Malware (Malicious software such as viruses, worms, Trojans, ransomware, and spyware which can infect systems and cause data loss, financial damage, and operational disruptions), Phishing attacks( fraudulent attempts to trick individuals into providing sensitive information, such as passwords, credit card numbers, or personal details, usually through deceptive emails, messages, or websites), Identity Theft(Cybercriminals stealing personal information, such as Social Security numbers, bank account details, or login credentials, to impersonate individuals or commit financial fraud), Data Breaches (Unauthorized access to sensitive data, whether through hacking, insider threats, or accidental exposure, can lead to the exposure of confidential information, financial losses, legal liabilities, and damage to reputation),
Denial of Service (DoS) Attacks(DoS attacks aim to disrupt the normal functioning of websites, networks, or services by overwhelming them with a high volume of traffic, rendering them inaccessible to legitimate users), Insider Threats( Employees, contractors, or other trusted individuals with access to sensitive systems and information may intentionally or unintentionally misuse their privileges, leading to data breaches, sabotage, or espionage), Weak Authentication ( Inadequate authentication mechanisms, such as weak passwords, lack of multi-factor authentication, or insecure authentication protocols, can make it easier for unauthorized users to gain access to systems and accounts), Unpatched Software( Failure to regularly update and patch software vulnerabilities can leave systems susceptible to exploitation by cyber attackers who exploit known security flaws) among many other risks.
My interaction with Nedilina
During one of the many days, I enjoyed the green spaces, I had an opportunity to interact with Nedilina, a 73-year-old farmer who had been farming since the 1980s. Nedilinainformed me that her children, who are covert members of various entities in the digital era, wanted to ensure seamless communication between Nedilina and her customers; therefore, a smartphone was bought for her from the Kingdom of Thailand, a Southeast Asian country. She pointed out that her operations have since improved as she has access to so many services at the click of a button that were unavailable during the’ Baby Boom generation age’. ‘I can now book and pay for fertilizer from my home’. I can also sell products to my customers, receive money in my bank account, and pay my bills more efficiently.
I can also receive firsthand information on what is going on around the farm and resolve matters more efficiently, so I am happy to be part of the ‘information age’. It is not like, during our time when to buy fertilizer, you had to take a taxi or bicycle to town, which was a logistical nightmare,’ she said.
As we continued having a candid conversation, we could not agree more that there are always positive and negative aspects of any development.
She said. ‘Recently, I received a phone call from a bank official informing me that they were activating their new ATM cards for customers, and they required my ATM card number and password. The caller was definitely from a bank, so I shared my ATM card number and the three numbers at the back of my ATM card (CVV no). I also received a password on my phone, which they asked me to share with them, and that is what I did. The official told me that my ATM card is now activated. I usually have an ATM card for the account I have not registered for mobile money. So, after five days, I went to town and decided to pass the ATM to withdraw a little cash since some of my customers had not paid me for the maize I had supplied to them, and I needed to begin planting my tomatoes. I headed to the ATM and made the transaction, only to discover I had nil balance in my account. Shocked, I walked into the bank and talked to the guard, who immediately ushered me to see a bank official. I explained to him that I had a balance of 300,000 Kenyan shillings, but now there was nothing!
He asked me to wait while he checked my account. He confirmed that, indeed, I had money, and now it was gone, and that from their records, it appears I had been conned. I informed the official of the call I had received from one of their agents and the information I had given to the caller. The official told me that there was a high possibility that the caller was a fraud who was convincing enough for me, the account holder, to divulge my personal details.
As she spoke to me, I could still feel the pain in her voice, her hard-earned money stolen by a criminal.
The story of four generations, perhaps?
This is a story of four generations in the war against emerging cyber threats with the royal titles, ‘Everybody’, ‘Somebody’, Anybody’ and ‘Nobody’ who had an important job to be done, and everybody was sure that somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but nobody did. Somebody got angry about that because it was everybody’s job. Everybody thought that anybody could do it, but nobody realized that everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that everybody blamed somebody when nobody did what anybody could have done.
A wise man once said, ‘Life begins at 70’. This is because, at this age, an individual has achieved phenomenal accomplishments. However, the cyber threats are real and undermine this adage and continue impacting the achievements of ‘our walking encyclopedias’ who were not born in the digital age but, due to circumstances, have to use these technologies to transform economies, create jobs and improve their lives and other vulnerable and remote populations among them.
What can the generations do?
The Baby boomers (born pre-independence to the 1960s), Generation X (Independence Generation born between 1960s to 1970s), Generation Y (born between 1981 and 1996) and Generation Z (Born between 1997 and the early 2010s) population are essential players in the war against cybercrimes.
How can the other generations avoid the ‘story of the four generations’ and ensure that our walking encyclopedias in society are better protected from cyber threats and can safely navigate the digital world?
Strategies for enhancing the cyberspace for ‘walking encyclopedias.”
• Education and Awareness. Provide comprehensive education to the elderly about common cyber threats such as phishing emails, malware, and online scams. Teach them how to recognize suspicious messages, websites, and requests for personal information.
• Secure Devices and Networks. Help elderly individuals secure their devices (computers, smartphones, tablets) with up-to-date antivirus software, firewalls, and security patches. Encourage them to use strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication whenever possible.
• Safe Internet Practices. Let us teach our ‘walking encyclopedias’ safe browsing habits, such as avoiding clicking on unfamiliar links, downloading files from unknown sources, or sharing personal information online without verifying the legitimacy of the request.
• Regular Updates and Maintenance. We can also ensure that their devices and software are regularly updated to patch security vulnerabilities and protect against emerging threats.
• Filtering and Blocking. Set up content filters and ad blockers on their devices to reduce the risk of encountering malicious content online.
• Scam Identification. Educate them about common online scams targeting the elderly, such as fake tech support calls, lottery, and romance scams. Encourage scepticism and critical thinking when encountering unexpected offers or requests for money.
• Trusted Contacts. Help them establish a network of trusted contacts, such as family members, friends, or caregivers, who can assist them with technology-related issues and provide guidance on staying safe online.
• Privacy Settings. Review and adjust privacy settings on social media accounts and other online platforms to limit the amount of personal information visible to the public.
• Regular Check-ins. Stay in regular contact with elderly individuals to monitor their online activities and promptly address any concerns or incidents.
• Community Support. Foster an environment where elderly individuals feel comfortable seeking help and advice on cybersecurity without fear of judgment or ridicule.
So why wait for the flood to wreak havoc in our lives?
Let us avoid the ‘story of the four generations’ and join in fighting the war against Social Engineering Frauds, financial fraud using social media platforms, ATM card cloning, ransomware attacks, juice jacking, online job frauds, computer hacking, mobile application fraud, cyberbullying, and cyberstalking and many other schemes used by fraudsters to destroy the future of all generations.
Email; marceybukania@gmail.com