TCRA launches website to fight cybercrime

TANZANIA Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) yesterday launched a website through which the internet users could report cybercrime attempts.

The Tanzania Computer Emergence Response Team (TZ-CERT) website is a new online platform to give a room to the people with online accounts, such as emails or social media to immediately inform the authority when hackers attempt or have hacked their accounts.

Acting Director General of the TCRA, Eng James Kilaba, said the TZ-CERT would enable the authority to respond quickly on the fraudulent attempts to internet users.

“Fraudulent acts are now increasing and we have heard a number of cases whereby internet users fall into traps of hoaxers unknowingly by giving them their account details,” he said.

He said the launch of the website was a continuation of the campaign aimed at curbing the circulation of pornographic pictures on social media so as to ensure the security online.

Before yesterday’s launching, the internet users were reporting such acts through telephone or writing on paper. This system delayed the response of the authority in helping the victims of cybercrime.

He added that the website would go along with a three-month campaign on educating people on how to use the internet properly and safely.

Manager of the TZ-CERT, Ms Connie Francis, said during the campaign they would teach internet users on how to recover their hacked accounts.

“Many people find their accounts hacked because of a tendency of replying to fraudulent messages immediately after receiving,” she said.

Currently, Tanzania has a total of 17million internet users, up from 5 million users in 2011. According to Eng Kilaba, the TCRA established that lack of important information over cyber security has contributed to the cybercrimes that could have been avoided.

Therefore, the authority is expected to raise awareness and hence protecting the people from cybercrime.

Source: DailyNews