how to combat cyber threat

guide to combating cyber threats in 2025, tailored for Nigeria’s context:

Key Strategies to Combat Cyber Threats

Awareness & Training: Educate employees and individuals on phishing, social engineering, and secure practices (e.g., strong passwords, MFA). Regular drills reduce human error.

Zero Trust Architecture: Implement strict access controls—verify every user/device, even within networks. Use micro-segmentation to limit lateral movement.

AI-Driven Defense: Deploy AI tools for real-time threat detection (e.g., anomaly tracking, predictive analytics). Update systems to counter AI-powered attacks.

Patch Management: Automate updates for OS, software, and firmware to close vulnerabilities. Prioritize critical systems like banking and healthcare.

Encryption & Backups: Encrypt sensitive data (at rest and in transit). Maintain offline backups to mitigate ransomware.

Collaboration: Share threat intelligence with national agencies (e.g., Nigeria’s NCC) and global bodies like INTERPOL.

Regulatory Compliance: Adopt frameworks like NDPR (Nigeria Data Protection Regulation) and ISO 27001 for standardized security.

Incident Response Plan: Prepare a clear protocol for breaches (containment, eradication, recovery). Conduct simulations.

Secure IoT/Cloud: Change default passwords on IoT devices. Use CSPs with robust security (e.g., AWS, Azure).

Cyber Hygiene: Regular audits, VPNs for remote work, and DNS filtering block malicious sites.

Proactive, layered defenses are vital in 2025’s evolving threat landscape.