COUNTER MEASURES AGAINST CYBER-INSECURITY: COLLABORATIVE SOLUTIONS WITH ETHICAL HACKERS, THE UNITED KINGDOM APPROACH

Abstract

The status quo in global cyber insecurity is unacceptable. Despite various measures to stem the tide of cybercrime, cybercrime is on the increase globally. In Africa, Nigeria ranks among the highest countries in Cyber insecurity and this dismal statistics has adversely affected her stature in the international sphere. Foreign direct investment has taken a nosedive as international businesses prefer South Africa and Ghana to Nigeria in business negotiation, technology transfer and foreign aid. This repercussion for cybercrime has stunted Nigeria’s economic growth. Accordingly, legislative solutions have been adopted. The Cybercrime Prohibition Prevention Act 2015 CPPA was passed by the Nigerian Parliament to curb cybercrime within her jurisdiction. This Act has been arguably less than effective as Nigeria is a hot spot for cybercrime. Nigeria has also invested a lot of effort in the training of law enforcement officers (LEAS) in order to tackle this high tech crime. In this article, we question the conventional approach of fighting cybercrime. We argue that different method to eradicating cybercrime should be adopted as the current approach has been grossly effective. Using comparative evaluation, the article examines the roles of ethical hackers in curbing cyber criminality. It identifies the immense benefits that tackling this crime from this approach confers as seen in the United Kingdom. The article finds that custodial sentences merely stigmatize and harden these convicted cybercriminals. It is suggested that the approach of enlisting cybercriminals to use their expertise in information technology to help tackle this sophisticated crime will help to greatly reduce if not eradicate cyber criminality in Nigeria.