The United States, Great Britain or France, all the major countries of the world have to deal with the ill-intentioned use of the Internet. Between the spread of fake news, cyber-attacks, hacking, personal data leaks, the net can be a real danger. Faced with all these threats, Mauritius must also be prepared for such attacks, even virtual ones… The Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation has amended the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act of 2003 in order to adopt the Budapest Convention!
New technologies and digital technologies are booming in Mauritius and abroad. They are attractive because of their complexity, but also because their future is more than promising and flourishing! The Internet, in particular, is a technological tool that has allowed several sectors of the economy to develop. However, the web has a double face, which attracts the interest of many malicious people. Cyberattacks, fraud, data breaches, identity theft, hacking, all of which are facilitated by the Internet. The Cambridge Analytica scandal, which has made headlines around the world, is clear evidence that our data is not entirely secure, or more simply, that no one is safe on the web.
Adoption of the Budapest Convention!
The 2017 UN Cyber Security Index report demonstrates Mauritius’ commitment to taking action against cybercrime. Indeed, Mauritius is the first African country and the sixth in the world to have made a real commitment to tackle the rise of online crime.
The report mentions the country’s commitment to countering the attacks that are taking place. Several projects and campaigns have been initiated across the country to reduce threats on various networks. The UN Cyber Security Index mentions the 180 awareness-raising sessions conducted by the Mauritian government against cyber-attacks for some 2,000 civil servants in the various government ministries and departments.
In the same vein, the Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation recently amended several sections of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act of 2013. The purpose of this amendment is to make the law effective and appropriate so that it is fair and appropriate to cybercrime.
The revision of this 2003 law, if approved by the Attorney General, should give more power to the Computer Emergency Response Team Mauritius (CERT-MU). This entity is currently collecting public complaints, however, the Mauritian government wants it to have full powers to investigate and monitor computer data in order to act on cybercrime. Under these amendments, it will also have the right to access computers or information held by Internet providers. A right that will have a certain weight in cases of crimes committed on the web.
The revision of this law will enable Mauritius to align itself with, or even adopt, the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime and the African Union Convention on Data Protection. The adoption of the Budapest Convention will enable the island to obtain or provide assistance if necessary to counter these virtual attacks, obtain unsolicited information, ensure greater confidentiality of data and so on.
Don’t forget MAUCORS in case of an attack!
While waiting for the approval of this revision, if you think you are a victim of a cyber attack, with a simple click on the platform, MAUCORS, you can file a complaint.
MAUCORS takes into account all complaints related to online harassment, hacking, inappropriate content, pornography, incitement to racial hatred, violence, sextortion, online scams, malware, among others. This list is incomplete, but gives an overview of the crimes you can report through the platform. Also regarding MAUCORS, this article will certainly help you understand the functionality of this digital platform.
Remember that no one is safe on the Internet, and that in one click your account can be hacked, your identity stolen, be a victim of racial discrimination or harassment. We must protect ourselves and especially our children. All together against cybercrime!
