Unregistered SIM cards make Nam vulnerable

Namibia is vulnerable to cyber threats as the country currently is one of a few, if not the only one in the region, where a SIM card can be bought without registration, Peter Katjavivi, Speaker the National Assembly, said on Monday.Katjavivi raised this concern when he officially opened a two-day cyber security conference for members of parliament.People can easily buy a SIM card on the streets without registration and validation of an identity card or passport. “This implies that one can use a phone number to commit a crime and throw it away easily, without being traced,” Katajivivi said.There have been some initiatives and efforts undertaken by the government in the information and communication technology-related areas, but more needs to be done to improve the country’s cybersecurity status in Africa and the rest of the world in the years to come, he said.Mbeuta Ua-Ndjarakana, the permanent secretary in the ministry of information and communication technology, told the MPs that once the cybercrime bill is in place, people will be required to register with their identity documents on the network.The bill is currently with the legal drafters, and will soon go back to Parliament for tabling, he said.Securing cyberspace is a national e-sovereignty challenge which needs to be pursued in a comprehensive manner, Katjavivi said. As budget custodians and lawmakers in the country, MPs have a critical role in securing Namibia, he said.Katjavivi suggested that MPs influence the nation’s priorities related to how many people could be trained, how to educate the nation, what infrastructure the country needs and what laws need to be enacted to protect Namibia.He said although Namibia is in the process of developing a Computer Emergency Response Team, training and digital forensic labs of law enforcement agencies are needed.While there are still many physical threats, more threats are continuously occurring in cyberspace, Katjavivi said. - Nampa

Unregistered SIM cards make Nam vulnerable

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Republikein 2025-12-30

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Unregistered SIM cards make Nam vulnerable

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