Technology
How Businesses Can Prevent and Combat Cyber Threats
By Otori Emmanuel
Online business may have its benefits, but there is also a greater chance of hoaxes and cyber threats. The credibility of your business could be negatively affected by a successful cyber-attack. Therefore, safeguarding your business against cyber-attack is a crucial concern. That, if not prevented, may require a re-establishment of the business.
In extreme scenarios, it may even force you out of business permanently because you won’t be able to make up the lost revenue and customer loyalty, as clients want to feel safe in transactions. The good news is that you may take preventative action and safeguard your company before it’s too late by choosing from a selection of cyber insurance alternatives.
Preventive measures against cyber threats
- Installation of Devices and Network Security Software
Verify that your operating system and security applications are set to update automatically. Updates might include vital security upgrades for recent malware and threats. Most updates allow you to schedule them at a time that is more convenient for you, typically after office hours. It’s imperative to consistently follow update prompts since updates frequently fix serious security issues. Install security software to help prevent infection on business PCs and mobile devices. To prevent compromise on business laptops, desktops, and mobile devices, the software should have anti-virus, anti-spyware, and anti-spam filters. Setting up a firewall between your working devices and the internet acts as a gatekeeper for traffic entering and leaving. Maintain a robust firewall by regularly updating to the newest patches.
- Passphrase use and setting up several authenticators
If possible, take extra precautions to make your security more difficult to access because you do not want to lose your company to hackers. Instead of using passwords, use passphrases to secure your networks and devices that house sensitive company data. Passphrases are phrases or collections of words that are used as passwords. Humans find them easy to memorize, but computers find them challenging to decipher. A secure passphrase needs to be at least 14 characters long and includes a mix of capital and lowercase letters, digits, and special characters. For each of your accounts, use a different passphrase. If you are serious about protecting your company, changing passwords to passphrases is insufficient. To ensure that the legitimate owners are granting access, multi-factor authentication (MFA) is used in this situation. Before you can access your account, two or more forms of identification must be shown. Additional security for your accounts is provided by two-factor or multi-factor authentication.
- Protect sensitive information
The data that will be sent into and out of your company system needs to be encrypted after you’ve configured your authenticators. Before sending your data over the internet, encryption transforms it into a hidden code. Make sure your network encryption is enabled and that all data received or stored online is encrypted. This lowers the danger of theft, destruction, or tampering by limiting data access to parties that possess the encryption key. When utilizing a public network, you can enable network encryption by adjusting the settings on your router or by setting up a virtual private network (VPN) program on your computer.
- Backup your data
Data backup is one of the cheapest ways to guarantee that your information can be retrieved in the event of a cyber-incident or computer issue. Additionally, it is a less demanding technique to prevent future attacks. Although firewalls, antivirus software, and other security measures may malfunction, keeping a backup provides you with an advantage over attackers. To assist ensure the protection of your data, use a range of backup techniques, like routine incremental backups to a mobile device or cloud storage. Include weekly, quarterly, and yearly server backups as well. It should be regularly checked to see if this data is functioning properly and can be recovered. Store several copies of your backup offline, if possible.
- Your business’s safety is your employees’ safety
Your staff and device operators are responsible for your company’s security. Businesses should have clear cyber security policies that inform staff on what is appropriate while sharing data, using computers and other devices, and visiting websites. Your personnel should receive internet safety instructions making them aware of the dangers they can encounter and their responsibility for keeping your company safe. Hackers might have their access restricted by creating a culture of awareness. This is why it is so important to teach them how to recognize, avoid, and handle a cyber-attack and use strong passwords and passphrases.
Keep track of all the computing hardware and applications that your company employs. All the hardware and software that your company employs must be documented. Any software and hardware that are no longer in use should be disconnected from the network, and sensitive data should be deleted. Older, inactive hardware and software won’t likely be updated, and they could be exploited as a “backdoor” by thieves to attack companies. In a similar vein, you ought to deny access to former workers and people who have switched roles and no longer need it.
- Business continuity is based on customers’ safety
It’s crucial that you protect the information about your clients. Your company’s reputation will suffer if you misplace or compromise their information, and you risk legal repercussions. Make sure your company invests in a safe online transaction environment and protects any stored personal customer data. Find out what your payment gateway provider can do to stop online payment fraud if you accept payments online. Consider purchasing cyber insurance to safeguard your company. Dealing with a cyber-attack may cost far more than simply replacing computers, enhancing security, or repairing databases. Your company may benefit from the cost savings provided by cyber liability insurance coverage for attack recovery.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has unveiled the National Digital Cloud Policy, a framework designed to strengthen Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and drive the next phase of economic growth.
The policy implementation has an investment target of $750 million over the next 24 months.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, disclosed this on Tuesday, noting that the effort aims to further strengthen the transformation of Nigeria’s digital economy.
According to the ministry, through the implementation of the policy, the government’s initial ambition is to mobilise $250 million in private investment within the first 12 months.
The investment will rise to $750 million within 24 months, alongside progressive increases in compliant hosting capacity and the development of Nigeria’s regional cloud export market.
Mr Tijani explained that cloud and data infrastructure are now foundational to artificial intelligence, financial services, digital government, healthcare, education and the wider digital economy.
The minister said Nigeria’s ambition is to ensure that the country moves beyond being primarily a consumer of global cloud infrastructure to becoming a competitive location for cloud investment, infrastructure, skills and digital services serving Nigeria and the wider African market.
According to him, the policy creates an open and competitive framework designed to attract investment into cloud, data centre, and AI compute infrastructure.
It will accelerate the government’s transition to secure, efficient cloud services and strengthen its capacity to host and export digital services across Africa.
“Our approach is deliberately open and investment-oriented. We want Nigerian and international providers to invest, build capacity, develop talent and serve both the Nigerian market and the wider African continent from Nigeria.
“At the same time, government has a responsibility to ensure that its most sensitive digital assets are governed and secured in a manner consistent with our national interests.
“The National Digital Cloud Policy therefore provides a balanced framework — one that promotes investment and competition, strengthens indigenous capability, modernises government and applies sovereignty requirements only where they are genuinely necessary,” Mr Tijani added.
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) will provide regulatory oversight, standards and assurance, while Galaxy Backbone (GBB) will lead operational delivery, shared infrastructure and aggregation.
Also, the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) will ensure alignment with public procurement requirements.
“This separation of responsibilities is intended to provide regulatory certainty and avoid conflicts between regulatory, operational and procurement functions,” the ministry said.
A Sovereign Government Cloud Governance Committee, chaired by Mr Tijani, will provide strategic oversight and whole-of-government coordination for the implementation of the sovereignty framework.
Choosing between a VPS and a dedicated server can be complex. They run apps and webpages. But they operate differently. Understanding the difference between VPS and dedicated server solutions will help you prevent complications and save money later on. In this text we will explain everything in detail with examples from actual life.
VPS vs Dedicated Server: What Actually Sets Them Apart
One physical machine is divided into multiple virtual servers by a VPS. Through virtualization software, each user receives a portion of resources that are separate from those of other users.
A dedicated server operates in a different manner. One user owns a single physical machine. No neighbors, no sharing, simply complete hardware access.
This is the core of the vps vs dedicated server debate. Shared hardware means lower costs, while full ownership means more raw power. Finding the best vps hosting service often comes down to how well a provider balances performance with fair pricing on shared resources.
| Factor | VPS | Dedicated Server |
| Resource allocation | Shared pool, virtualized | 100% dedicated hardware |
| Performance consistency | Possible noisy neighbor effect | Guaranteed, stable capacity |
| Scalability | Instant resize | Requires hardware upgrade or migration |
| Cost | Lower entry price | Higher fixed cost |
Performance, Cost and Control: Where Each One Wins
In terms of raw performance, dedicated servers are superior. Each gigabyte of RAM and each CPU cycle are part of a single project. There is no competition for resources.
Flexibility is where VPS excels. It takes minutes, not days, to scale up. Pricing stays lower too, since costs get split across multiple users on the same hardware.
Shared hardware limitations rarely cause problems for smaller projects. Providers like Antihost allocate resources fairly, so performance stays steady even during traffic spikes. The gap only really matters once traffic gets heavy and consistent.
The contrast of vps vs virtual machine is also confusing people often. A VPS is a virtual computer in a technical sense, but it’s rented from a hosting company, rather than running on your own hardware.
Matching the Server to the Project: Real Scenarios
A dedicated server is rarely required for a small business website. A VPS can easily manage moderate traffic while maintaining low expenses.
A growing SaaS product usually starts on a VPS and expands as the user base grows. This adaptability is more crucial in the early stages than brute strength.
A database-heavy application benefits from dedicated hardware once query volume reaches a certain level. In this case, the lack of resource sharing and a constant disk speed are essential.
A game server depends on low latency and steady performance. Many game servers run fine on VPS today, especially with modern hardware. As David Heinemeier Hansson put it: “Personal servers have gotten really scarily quick, inefficient, and personal internet connections rival what we connected data centers with just a decade or two ago.” That shift makes VPS a stronger option than it used to be.
Here is a quick breakdown of what typically fits best:
- Small business website: VPS, for cost and simplicity
- Growing SaaS product: VPS, then scale to dedicated later
- Database-heavy app: Dedicated server, for consistent speed
- Game server: VPS, unless player counts get very large
Summary
In every situation, neither choice is superior to the other. Everything impacts the optimal selection, including the scale of the project, traffic patterns, and all growth plans. Scale from what works now when the numbers really demand it.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Mr Aminu Maida, has reemphasised the need to protect the nation’s telecommunications infrastructure, especially fibre networks, noting that damage to fibre networks carries significant economic consequences.
Speaking virtually at the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) Critical Conversation Forum on Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) in Lagos recently, he described FTTH as a critical enabler of Nigeria’s digital future.
“FTTH is uniquely positioned to meet Nigerians' next phase of data demand. The quality of our broadband will increasingly shape the competitiveness of our businesses, the growth of our digital industry and the opportunities available to our citizens,” the NCC chief stated.
“We must uphold deployment standards. Nigeria needs fibre that is properly installed, properly documented, and properly protected,” Mr Maida further said at the event themed Fibre to the Home in Nigeria: Addressing Challenges, Strengthening Standards and Ensuring Sustainable Deployment.
During a panel discussion titled Policy, Governance and Regulatory Alignment, the Deputy Director of Strategic Business Initiatives at ipNX, Mr Segun Okuneye, highlighted the need for stronger collaboration across the telecommunications ecosystem to unlock the full potential of fibre broadband in Nigeria.
According to him, sustainable fibre deployment extends beyond technology and investment to include policy consistency, stakeholder alignment, infrastructure protection, and shared responsibility.
“Achieving universal fibre connectivity requires more than deploying infrastructure; it requires sustained collaboration between operators, regulators, government agencies and host communities.
“When policies are aligned, deployment standards are consistently enforced, and critical infrastructure is protected, we create an environment where investment thrives and more Nigerians can enjoy reliable, high-speed broadband.
“At ipNX, we remain committed to working with all stakeholders to build resilient digital infrastructure that will support Nigeria’s economic growth for generations to come.”
Earlier in his welcome address, ATCON President, Mr Tony Emoekpere, underscored the strategic importance of FTTH in achieving the country’s broadband penetration targets while calling for greater public awareness around protecting communications infrastructure.
“This forum is critical because Fibre-to-the-Home is the technology that will enable the country to achieve full broadband penetration. We all depend on communication infrastructure, and it must be protected,” he declared.
Drawing a comparison with power infrastructure in the country, he added, “If somebody comes to your neighbourhood to tamper with your transformer or power cables, everybody will come out. The same thing needs to apply for communications infrastructure. When we see people damaging fibre cables, we should raise an alarm.”
