Tanzania's telecommunication watchdog has launched a nationwide campaign to heighten public awareness on the safe and proper means of using social network accounts, mainly on controlling cyber security.

The campaign will be operated under the Tanzania Computer Emergency Response Team (TZ-CERT), a team responsible for ensuring high and effective network and information security within the east African nation.

It is also charged with developing a culture of network and information security for the benefit of the entire community.

James Kilaba, Deputy Director for Information and Communication Technology of the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) said the three-month campaign was officially launched on Monday.

According to the official, the campaign followed the TZ-CERT team to identify the presence of many challenges that face the public in the use of the internet, due to low knowledge on how to protect themselves from cyber insecurity.

Eng. Kilaba warned the public from posting and sending harmful messages and pictures through their social network accounts, saying that the TZ-CERT was able to track the IP addresses of every social network account.

"The authority will impose legal action on anyone who will disobey its order as per the law," Eng Kilaba said.

According to him, TZ-CERT will provide expert consultation to overcome cyber security and other related effects.

Currently, there are 17 million internet users compared to 5 million people in 2011. Indeed, the authority has established that the public lacks basic information on cyber security, a situation which accelerates the presence of internet theft from the public.

Eng. Kilaba explained that TZ-CERT was established under Section 124 of the Electronic and Postal Act (EPOCA) no 3/2010.

Connie Francis, TZ-CERT manager said that the team has been mandated to act as a national link within and outside the country on all matters concerning cyber security.

She said the team was also responsible for preparing security advisor to the public and stakeholders in areas found to experience huge challenges.

"We shall also conduct vulnerability assessment on the weakness of the computer systems for various stakeholders of the TZ-CERT website," she said.

Source  : XINHUA