The Chief Executive of Innovare, C. K. Bruce has advised internet users to be cautious when using cyberspace in order not to fall victim to cyber scam.

Contributing to a discussion on cybersecurity on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show Thursday, Mr Bruce stated that the advent of technology should not be blamed for cybercrime.

“The whole cyberspace threat is human-based and as a technology user, you have to know it and use it safely. There are so many things happening [on the internet] so when you receive a message on WhatsApp saying “Get a Free car from Toyota” and you click it, you are putting your environment, that is, your phone, your laptop, and important messages at risk, therefore, exposing yourself,” he explained.

The Technology expert subsequently advised users to be cautious of hyperlinks that are shared on social media platforms.

“These are fundamentals because you are likely to receive these messages from people you trust because they also received it from somebody they know and trust. Now we need to be able to discern the messages and read between the lines and if you are not sure, err on the side of caution, check.

“Don’t click links you’ve received through Facebook, WhatsApp, or any other social media to acquire the information, try and find from the organisation's website instead,” he advised.

The internet has become a critical infrastructure and facilitator of engagements for individual users, businesses and governments across the globe.

In Ghana, the increasing reliance on the internet and Information Communication Technology has led to increased cybersecurity incidents such as ransomware, cyber theft, banking fraud, cyber espionage, and other cyber-attacks targeted at critical information infrastructure.

In view of this, Parliament passed the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038), to protect people from fraudulent online transactions as well as safeguard the country’s digital space.

The Law establishes the Cyber Security Authority, protects the critical information infrastructure of the country, regulates cybersecurity activities, provides for the protection of children on the internet and develops Ghana’s cybersecurity ecosystem.

It is also targeted at positioning Ghana to prevent, manage and respond to cybersecurity incidents in view of the digital transformation agenda.