Telecom
Protecting Assets in a Remote-first (and potentially Hostile) World
By: Chester Wizniewski, Field CTO Applied Research at Sophos
I live in a city center and the lunch hour certainly isn’t like it once was. While some people have returned to working in an office, it seems that the majority have not. Looking back, the pandemic will have been a turning point for many things around the world, and the rhythms of office-centered worklife will be something that will never return to the old ways.
With this increased flexibility employees are not just working from home behind consumer-grade Wi-Fi routers; they are also spending part of the day at the park or coffee shop, or perhaps even having a “working holiday.” Those in charge of protecting enterprise assets have to assume these endpoints are always in hostile territory.
Even before the pandemic, organizations working toward improving their security maturity were often trying to “push left.” What is pushing left? At its most basic level it means moving things closer to the start. It originates from software development where the stages of the development process are conceptualized from left to right, left being the beginning. In applied security we also use the term “pushing left,” but rather than referring to the software development process we are referring to the attack chain, which moves from reconnaissance on the left through action (exfiltration or other attacker goal) on the right.
For many years, the most comprehensive security strategies have involved defense in depth. The idea is that not all technologies are suitable for detecting a given threat type, so it is best to deploy them in layers. These layers often directly correspond to how far “left” something is in the attack chain. If you can detect something at the network border through your firewall, email, or web filters, you have contained the threat before it has any negative impact on operations.
Ideally you want to detect and block an attacker as far left as possible, i.e., as early as possible. Pushing detections left also alerts security analysts that an intrusion may be underway, initiating more focused threat hunting to anticipate gaps in defenses your attacker may be attempting to exploit.
For employees at the office, you can centralize control of these defenses and provide optimum protection. The question is, are you able to provide the same protection for remote workers regardless of their location? Can you monitor and respond to threats being detected on those assets when they are out of the office? As many have observed, this did not work as well as we would have liked when we all went into lockdown, many of us without a plan.
While there are still many benefits to monitoring the network when you have control of it, including reduced endpoint overhead and the ability to keep threats at a distance from sensitive assets, we need to ensure we can take as much of this protection as possible with us when we are out and about.
We must ensure not only that protection is optimized, but also that we don’t lose our ability to monitor, detect, and respond to attacks targeting these remote assets. Most organizations have moved to utilizing EDR/XDR solutions (or plan to in the very near future) , which is a great start, but not all solutions are comprehensive.
In the remote-work era, insufficiently protected remote users can encounter plenty of issues – malicious URLs and downloads, and network attacks, to name only the most mundane – that in the Before Times would have been handled by machines guarding the corporate “fort.” The biggest missing components when users are “outside the fort” are HTTPS filtering and web content inspection of the sort that is typically implemented within next-generation firewalls. When you add these technologies to pre-execution protection, behavioral detection, machine learning models, client firewalls, DLP, application control, and XDR, you are starting to look at a comprehensive stack of defenses for attackers to overcome – even if the endpoints themselves are now free-range.
For initiatives like zero trust network access (ZTNA) to be effective, we must not only wrap the applications we interact with, but we must also wrap the endpoints that connect to them. Simple checks like whether the OS is up-to-date and whether it has security software installed may be a good start, but not all protection is created equal.
With most devices being connected to the internet whenever they’re in use, we can leverage the power of the cloud to help provide ubiquitous protection and monitoring. Modern security solutions must assume the endpoint device or phone is in a hostile environment at all times. The old idea of inside and outside is not only outdated, it’s downright dangerous.
Telecom
MobileCoreX Taps Wireless Technology Labs in Multi-Million Dollar Deal to Build New Mobile Core Network across Nigeria
Wireless Technology Labs (WTL) today announced that it has been chosen by MobileCoreX Ltd (MCX), Nigeria’s premier Mobile Virtual Network Enabler (MVNE), to spearhead the development of the country’s first mobile virtual network in a landmark deal valued at millions of US dollars over the next three years.
This initiative aims to enhance mobile connectivity for Nigeria’s 220+ million residents, addressing the current challenges of low broadband penetration and poor quality of service.
Nigeria’s telecom sector is predominantly dominated by four major operators—MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9Mobile – with only 29% of Nigerian’s 220+m population regularly accessing the mobile internet, (GSMA figures) due to poor coverage and a variety of other issues.
In Q2 of 2023, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) adopted a new strategy to boost coverage and adoption, it issued 43 Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) licenses to amplify service coverage, particularly in unserved and underserved regions.
Amongst the licensee’s was MCX which obtained a tier 4 MVNE license aimed at constructing new mobile network infrastructure to provide capacity for emerging MVNOs as a platform as a service.
“Coverage, poor quality of service, costs and inflexible value propositions in Nigeria have persisted for too long.
“We are committed to leveraging innovative technology to create more competitive networks that reduce costs for consumers and provides value propositions that suite that needs,” stated Mr. Habib Ahmed, CEO of MCX.
He emphasized WTL’s pivotal role in delivering the carrier-grade core systems required for a comprehensive suite of mobile services, encompassing voice, data, and value-added features to meet the diverse needs of MVNO clients.
WTL, headquartered in Belgium, with over 20 years of experience, has been active in Nigeria and across Africa, working with operators of all sizes to rollout both urban and rural networks, work which has garnered it widespread recognition and industry awards.
The company has already partnered with two of the 43 new MVNOs licensed by the NCC, showcasing its commitment to enhancing telecom infrastructure in the region.
Mr. Satya Mekala, CEO of WTL “This partnership is about empowering a new entrant to make significant impact in the telecom market.
“We are committed to supporting MCX in its journey from a newcomer to a major player in the industry.
“Our advanced Core systems will ensure that MCX can offer reliable, scalable, and innovative mobile services from day one”.
As the telecom industry in Nigeria undergoes transformative changes, this collaboration signals a promising future for mobile connectivity and digital adoption in the country.
WTL will be showcasing its capabilities at upcoming events including MVNO Nation 2024 in Valencia, 6-8 November and The Africa Tech Festival in Cape Town, 12-14 November, further reinforcing its commitment to driving digital adoption across the continent and the globe.
To learn more about how WTL can help with the rollout of MVNO/E urban and rural networks in Africa, please email [email protected]
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo has said that reforms by his administration in the digital and technology space over the last eight years have revolutionised the state.
The Governor who stated this on Friday at the launch of the Edo State Digital Policy and Edo Data Centre, disclosed that was the first data centre owned by a state in Nigeria.
According to him, his reforms had repositioned Edo as a leading state in digital inclusion in Nigeria, adding that his government was leveraging technology as a catalyst for socio-economic development and inclusive growth.
He said: “I welcome you to the only data center owned by a state in Nigeria. This event is significant because we have started a revolution in Edo State, a digital revolution. We are rounding up with a policy statement that will guide this revolution into the future.
“The population of Edo is scaled towards the youths as they are born in a digital age. The future is digital. It will be difficult to navigate the world today without technology. If you want to develop and grow rapidly, you must begin to think of how to use technology.
“The pace of the advancement of technology in the world today is scary. So, just imagine those who have not started yet; I don’t think they can live in the future world. In Edo, we have always been ahead in our history. We have been a knowledgeable people as we interacted at a global level over 500 years ago on our own level.
“To catch up, we had to do something else and different. That was why from the beginning it was clear to us that we had to introduce technology and make sure that we begin to retrain our young ones, the youths, to own this digital world and the confidence in it.”
Obaseki added: “We have moved Edo into the digital superhighway and to operate on that superhighway, they must know the rules and must be guided by certain rules and practices. That is what we are doing today and incorporating in this policy document. This will enable everybody to understand the shape of this high way and what they need to do on this high way.”
The governor continued: “I had the privilege of working with young people in Edo State and working together, we set up EdoJobs and the Edo Innovate Hub as these have helped our young people and till date, over 50,000 young men and women have benefited from various training and programmes from Edo Innovate. We have been lucky to build a digital ecosystem which has grown rapidly.
“Years ago, as the Chairman of the State’s Economy Team, we set up the ICTA but we struggled all through but we kept it alive, and set up the law governing it. The agency is principally responsible for providing technology for the government.
“I am proud today of what we have done in Edo State which is all-encompassing as no aspect of government in Edo State that has not been digitized or in the process of digitization. All Government jobs have been digitized, and it is not difficult to operate in Edo as files can’t miss again.”
He said: “Technology has made it easy for our children to learn in school through the EdoBEST programme. We have over 400,000 children in our public schools. We have data in all our public schools, teachers, parents and ward of our pupils.
“You can go to any of our primary healthcare centers today without seeing your records, especially if you have registered and with our health insurance. Security, healthcare, agriculture, education and other areas, we have introduced technology.
Telecom
IHS Nigeria Donates Solar-powered Boreholes to Support Flood Victims in Maiduguri, Borno State
IHS Nigeria, part of the IHS Holding Limited (NYSE: IHS) (“IHS Towers”) group, one of the largest independent owners, operators, and developers of shared communications infrastructure in the world by tower count, has announced the donation of four solar-powered boreholes to support victims of recent floods in Maiduguri, Borno State.
The donation, which will be delivered through the United Nations Children’s Fund’s (UNICEF) emergency flood response, will help address the most urgent needs of flood-affected populations in Borno State, especially those displaced following flooding in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, Jere and Konduga LGAs.
The response by IHS Nigeria and UNICEF will help mitigate the impact of the flood and the risk of waterborne diseases for nearly 20,000 people, including vulnerable groups such as pregnant women and young mothers, children, and patients visiting health centers.
The four solar-powered boreholes donated by IHS Nigeria will be constructed in displaced peoples’ settlements and other temporary displacement sites.
This will include in densely populated areas without access to a safe water source, at schools to help facilitate the early return of children to classes, and at health centers, which are also used as Outpatient Therapeutic Program sites and provide nutrition services and counselling for pregnant women, young mothers, and malnourished children.
Mohamad Darwish, CEO, IHS Nigeria, said, “We empathize with the government and people of Borno State and extend our sympathies to those who lost loved ones and properties in the flood.
“We are aware that as people begin to return to their homes and communities with flood waters receding, they continue to face major risk factors, including damaged and contaminated water sources.
“A key priority for us, which informed our donation of these boreholes, is to help prevent or limit outbreaks of communicable diseases such as cholera, while improving water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services for affected populations.
This donation is an extension of our partnership with UNICEF, which since 2021 has supported the provision of WASH facilities to over 6,000 beneficiaries and enabled the delivery of over one million preventive and curative treatments for tropical diseases related to WASH.”
Cristian Munduate, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, said, “UNICEF is very grateful to IHS Nigeria for their generous donation of solar-powered boreholes, which comes at a critical time for communities affected by recent floods in Borno State.
“This contribution will not only provide essential safe water to thousands, but also protect vulnerable populations, including children, from the threat of waterborne diseases, and support communities as they work to start rebuilding their lives and livelihood.
“Together with IHS Nigeria, we are making significant strides in safeguarding children and families, and strengthening resilience through our shared commitment to water, sanitation and hygiene services in emergencies.”
IHS Nigeria’s long-standing partnership with UNICEF was recently demonstrated by the visit of Kitty van der Heidjen, UNICEF’s Deputy Executive Director, Partnerships, and her team to the company’s Head Office in Lagos.
Kitty van der Heidjen expressed her appreciation for the ongoing partnership with IHS Nigeria in empowering the country’s youth through education and digital connectivity. Under UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited (GenU) Project, designed to improve digital learning in Nigeria, IHS Nigeria has helped provide internet connectivity to 800 educational institutions between 2022 and 2024.
Through a collaborative partnership with UNICEF that began in 2019, IHS Nigeria has invested more than $4 million in various initiatives, including GenU 9ja, COVID-19 interventions, oxygen plant installations, WASH initiatives and school connectivity.
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