Moroccan army repels more than 400 cyber attacks
The army's Directorate General of Information Systems Security (DGSSI) has reported that several public and private structures have received various cyber attacks. This year alone, the army has contained at least 400 attacks, which is very serious for the security of cyber users. The monitoring centre of the armed forces has observed how these attacks have increased, and to deal with and prevent them, the army's presence on the network has been multiplied in an attempt to neutralise any type of threat, both internal and external. This will try to guarantee the confidentiality of web surfers, their security and will emphasise the protection of privacy during the exchange of information.
To this end, the DGSSI has developed an encryption device, entirely of 100% Moroccan origin, which has been made available to sensitive infrastructures based on national encryption programmes. The aim of this tool is to protect data on calls, audios, etc., as well as texts, in order to combat piracy.
Abdelatif Loudy, Morocco's Minister of National Defence, of which the DGSSI is a part, has informed via press release that "the DGSSI has provided a lot of technical assistance to critical infrastructure to facilitate the deployment of the necessary means to monitor and counter cyber-attacks". Also, the minister added that because of these latest threats to technological systems, the security of the systems of ministries, public institutions and strategic agencies has been investigated to ensure and evaluate their security mechanisms against hacker attacks. To this end, the new device has been used for testing.
Loudy also says that the DGSSI has adopted measures such as the integration of highly advanced encryption software, highlighting government sectors and structures within the government that support them, to protect data and communications.
The facts have led Morocco to advance in the world of cybersecurity, and, thanks to the protection systems implemented by the country, it is now at number 50 of the countries with the best security, according to the ranking carried out by the International Telecommunications Union, rising from 93rd place where it was the last time the report was carried out. It is worth mentioning that, in the times we live in, which is the pandemic of the coronavirus and as a consequence of it, most sectors and the way of conducting various affairs have been digitised. The importance of security is at its peak, especially in the public systems provided by the government and ministries, which have changed their way of doing business and are now online. It is precisely in these movements that most personal data and private information is exchanged and stolen for a variety of reasons, be it cyberbullying, identity theft, etc.
The importance of effectively protecting electronic systems is vital. Especially in the digital archives of states, whose security and sustainability are at risk, as the main objective of cyber-attacks is hacking, data theft, damage and cyber-warfare. All this leads to very negative consequences for countries that can be devastating for both organisations and ordinary citizens.
Since 2012, Morocco has shown interest in improving its systems against these attacks and, in turn, in seeking ways to curb them and protect itself through measures. To this end, several laws have been established within the legal framework to reinforce the security of information systems, ensure the protection of cyberspace and severely punish anyone who violates privacy on the Internet.
