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Strike: Buhari Orders Fresh Integrity Test on IPPIS, UTAS, U3PS

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President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to subject the Integrated Payroll Personnel Information System (IPPIS) and the two other proposed payment solutions proposed by University workers to fresh integrity test

Strike: Buhari Orders Fresh Integrity Test on IPPIS, UTAS, U3PS

This is in a bid to end the lingering strike action where  Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is demanding among other things the replacement of IPPIS with UTAS.

NITDA earlier claimed that the University Transparency Accountability Solution failed three integrity tests.

But ASUU which has been on strike since February 14, claimed that UTAS was developed to address the peculiarities of the university system which the IPPIS failed to do.

ASUU expressed worry that despite subjecting UTAS to the integrity test twice, the Nigerian Information Technology Development Agency, which scored the software over 90 per cent, misled the public that UTAS failed the tests.

The body challenged NITDA to subject IPPIS to the same integrity test, warning that if the agency failed to heed their call, ASUU would be left with no option but to expose the politicians behind IPPIS, who are feeding on it.

Earlier, Kashifu Inuwa, director-general of NITDA, said the University Transparency Accountability Solution failed three integrity tests.

According to him, the tests were meant to qualify UTAS — which was brought forward by the Academic Staff Union of Universities — as an alternative payment platform to the IPPIS.

Inuwa said ASUU is currently reviewing the system.

“When we received the request to review UTAS, you know, building a complex system like UTAS that involves employees’ personal data, and also payment system, we have to subject it to best practice tests before approving,” he said.

“Normally, when we are reviewing that kind of system, we perform three tests. Firstly, because when you’re building system, it’s not just about the technology, you need to consider the people that will use this system and the process. You need to get the business requirement. What do you want to achieve? So, it’s not the technology that will come first; it is the business requirement. Then, you need to identify the capabilities you need to achieve that your business objective.

“Part of the capability is the technology you need to bring in and the people that will operate the technology, because technology is always a tool that will help you to achieve an objective or to do your work. If you bring the tool before knowing what to do with it, it will be useless.”

He said NITDA conducted a user acceptance test, a vulnerability test to check for possibility of hacking, and a stress test to prevent the system from crashing.

“We did all these three tests with them and the system couldn’t pass. We wrote the reports and submitted it back to the honourable minister, which he forwarded to all relevant institutions, including ASUU. As we speak now, ASUU is working, trying to fix all the issues we highlighted with the system and we will review it again. But that is just one half of the story,” he said.

“The second half of the story is that we need to find where to put that system like IPPIS. We have a data centre built for it. That means we need to have the data centre, and we need to check to make sure it meets minimum requirement, because if you put people’s information and the system crashes, how can you pay them salary?

“There are a lot of things to do. As we speak, they’re trying to fix all the issues we highlighted with the system.”

 

 


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E-Business

Microsoft Server Hack Likely Solo Actor, Thousands at Risk

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A widespread cyberattack targeting Microsoft’s (MSFT.O) server software used by thousands of government agencies and businesses for internal document sharing was likely orchestrated by a single actor, a cybersecurity researcher said on Monday.

Microsoft Server Hack Likely Solo Actor, Thousands at Risk

Microsoft issued an alert on Saturday warning of “active attacks” on on-premise SharePoint servers.

The company clarified that SharePoint Online, part of the Microsoft 365 cloud suite, was not affected by the exploit, which is considered a “zero-day” vulnerability due to its previously undiscovered nature.

“Based on the consistency of the tradecraft seen across observed attacks, the campaign launched on Friday appears to be a single actor. However, it’s possible that this will quickly change,” Rafe Pilling, director of Threat Intelligence at Sophos, a British cybersecurity firm.

That tradecraft included the sending of the same digital payload to multiple targets, Pilling added.

Microsoft said it had “provided security updates and encourages customers to install them,” a company spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

It was not clear who was behind the ongoing hack. The FBI said on Sunday it was aware of the attacks and was working closely with its federal and private-sector partners, but offered no other details.

Britain’s National Cyber Security Centre did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Washington Post said unidentified actors in the past few days had exploited a flaw to launch an attack that targeted U.S. and international agencies and businesses.

According to data from Shodan, a search engine that helps to identify internet-linked equipment, over 8,000 servers online could theoretically have already been compromised by hackers.

Those servers include major industrial firms, banks, auditors, healthcare companies, and several U.S. state-level and international government entities.

“The SharePoint incident appears to have created a broad level of compromise across a range of servers globally,” said Daniel Card of British cybersecurity consultancy, PwnDefend.

“Taking an assumed breach approach is wise, and it’s also important to understand that just applying the patch isn’t all that is required here.”


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Flaw in Microsoft SharePoint Sparks Global Cybersecurity Concern

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A Microsoft SharePoint server software flaw is causing widespread concern across the global cybersecurity landscape, exposing thousands of organisations to hackers exploiting a new vulnerability.

This critical vulnerability exposes government agencies, universities, and energy firms who are at risk of cyberattacks. The flaw, now being actively exploited by unidentified hackers, allows attackers to gain deep, remote access to on-premise SharePoint servers.

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has confirmed that the vulnerability can enable malicious actors to access internal files, change configurations, and even execute remote code, effectively giving them high-level control over compromised systems.

Microsoft has also acknowledged the breach and released a security patch aimed at stopping the ongoing attacks. The firm urged users to apply the patch immediately, saying it is working to roll out additional protections, according to a statement reported by Bloomberg.

Despite these efforts, cybersecurity researchers warn that systems may remain vulnerable if attackers have already infiltrated networks, stolen authentication keys, or implanted persistent backdoors before patches were applied.

The United States hosts the highest number of these vulnerable systems, followed by the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Canada.

The Washington Post reported that the breach has already impacted a range of institutions, including U.S. federal and state agencies, academic institutions, energy companies, and a telecommunications firm in Asia.

This latest incident adds to a growing list of cybersecurity challenges facing Microsoft. In March, the company revealed that Chinese state-backed hackers had targeted its cloud-based services to infiltrate both U.S. and international organisations.

Last year, the U.S. Cyber Safety Review Board sharply criticised Microsoft’s internal security culture as ‘inadequate’ after a separate breach compromised its Exchange Online mail systems and exposed communications of high-level officials.


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NIMC Enrolls 122m for NIN, Cuts Extortion by 40 Percent

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National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has said that it has reduced incidents of extortion and unofficial charges in the identity enrolment process by over 40 per cent.

NIMC Enrolls 122m for NIN, Cuts Extortion by 40 Percent

Abisoye Coker-Odusote, director general of NIMC,

Abisoye Coker-Odusote, director general of NIMC, who disclosed this  at an event in Lagos at the weekend, attributed the drop to improved transparency in fee structure at the commission.

The CEO was represented by Lanre Yusuf, director, Information Technology and Identity Database, NINC.

The workshop, organised by the identity regulator in partnership with the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, focused on repositioning Nigeria’s digital identity landscape and combating misinformation.

According to Coker-Odusote, the sharp reduction in illicit charges is a direct result of reforms introduced by NIMC to curb racketeering and unauthorised payments, which have for years plagued the national identity registration process..

“Enrolment for the National Identification Number remains free. We have standardised modification and authentication fees, and these are publicly disclosed. Our enforcement of a transparent fee structure has resulted in a 40 per cent drop in extortion and unofficial charges,” the regulator said.

She explained that prior to her assumption of office, complaints about exploitative fees at enrolment centres were widespread, fuelling public distrust in the system.

However, she noted that the commission had since prioritised transparency and stakeholder accountability, ensuring that Nigerians no longer have to pay above the legally mandated fees. “We are addressing deep-rooted issues that once undermined public confidence in the enrolment process,” she said.

The NIMC chief added that the commission had introduced digital tools to reduce human interference in the registration process.

These include the NINAuth mobile app, the Self-Service NIN Enrolment and Modification app, and Contactless Biometric Solutions, all designed to make the system more efficient, secure, and user-friendly.

Coker-Odusote also reiterated the commission’s commitment to inclusion, stressing that no Nigerian should be left behind in the country’s digital identity transformation.

According to her, over 7,167 front-end enrolment agents and partners have been revalidated and retrained to serve the public professionally, with strict monitoring mechanisms now in place.

In addition, NIMC has deployed grievance redress officers across all 36 states to handle complaints from Nigerians about enrolment centres and agents, with a 24/7 toll-free line available to report any misconduct.

The reforms are part of broader efforts by the Commission to build a unified, secure, and people-centred digital identity system that facilitates access to government services, financial inclusion, social protection, and national planning.

Coker-Odusote called on media partners to support the Commission in disseminating accurate information, countering misinformation, and raising awareness about the benefits of digital identity.

“We are asking our partners in the media to help us combat fake news and promote transparency in the identity ecosystem. We need to ensure every Nigerian understands their rights and knows that their identity is key to accessing opportunities and services,” she said.


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