Dizengoff Nigeria, an agriculture and communication technology company has called on businesses and governments in the country to take a cue from trends across the world by adopting smart solutions to tackle growing security challenges in the economy.
The advice came during a security conference forum organised recently by the company in Lagos.
The forum tagged “Smart security solutions: Unification and Integration” was organised against the background of growing threats in cyber space as well as physical security issues and integrative communications systems.
Genetec a top Canadian security solutions company including Abloy a Swedish company and communications giant, Motorola provided faculties for the highly engaging event which gave insight into different threat vectors. During the forum, participants were enlightened on latest cyber secured unified security solutions platform, designed to curb physical security issues with video, access control and License plate recognition unification as well as smart communication systems to match the growing sophistication in the economy.
Speaking during the event, Guy Rabinovich, general manager, communications Technology, Dizengoff Nigeria, urged businesses including government to consider toughening their physical security solutions platform with cyber secure measures. He explained that many CCTV and access control platforms leave security loop holes that is easily exploitable by hackers.
He said “although one could say that there is some form of response to the issue from quite a few quarters at the moment, if you took a close look however, you would find that what is being done is too feeble compared to the magnitude of the problem of cyber-security including physical security threats across all sectors of the economy.”
According to him, with growing sophistication in the economy, criminals are also a step ahead and there is no telling the havoc they are capable of, he averred. “I believe that there has to be a stronger push from businesses including government to do more in terms of awareness and knowledge on what must be done to effectively make their physical security solutions cyber secure”
He therefore urged action to take the issue of cyber security more seriously by making conscious efforts to be aware of the magnitude and complexity of the problem and begin to implement smart security solutions to protect themselves from threats and attacks.
Anti Ritvonen, Dizengoff CEO/country manager, Dizengoff stressed that businesses and organisations including individuals need to take cyber security issues more seriously because “there is no gain saying that everything in modern day living, including physical security solutions, is today linked one way or the other to the internet.
“Everything in modern living is today interlinked weather domestic, business or even government. Hence physical security systems must be protected from cyber-attacks in order to accomplish the purpose of their deployment in the first place.
Ritvonen emphasised that as one the biggest economies in Africa, Nigeria is a sure target of cybercrime just as the country is vulnerable to growing sophistication in physical security concerns. “Right now, as we advance in technology, we become more vulnerable to threats. People need to understand this and know how to meet up with the challenges associated with these threats.”
Citing recent figures released on countries vulnerability to cyber-attacks for instance lists Nigeria as number 61. Adding that in 2017 alone, the country was estimated to have lost well over 450 million dollars to cybercrimes alone.
He reiterated that as a company with deep roots in Nigeria, Dizengoff would only associate itself with quality which is why the firm has chosen to partner with Genetec, Abloy and Motorola to drum the message of the urgent need for the country to take action on how to effectively address the menace of cyber and physical security threats.
Dizengoff Nigeria is a subsidiary of Bolton CP with presence in 8 countries in Sub-Sahara Africa. Balton CP has international partnership with reputable manufacturers.
