Internet. We shall drive improvements that are in the national interest, particularly in relation to the cyber security of our critical national infrastructure. The Government will draw on its capabilities and those of industry to develop and apply active cyber defense measures to significantly enhance the levels of cyber security across networks. These measures include minimizing the most common forms of phishing attacks, filtering known bad IP addresses, and actively blocking malicious online activity. Improvements in basic cyber security will raise our resilience to the most commonly deployed cyber threats. We have created CIRT-SL to be the leading authority on Sierra Leone’s cyber security environment, sharing knowledge, addressing systemic vulnerabilities and providing leadership on key national cyber security issues. We shall have the means to respond to cyber-attacks in the same way as we respond to any other attack, using whichever capability is most appropriate, including an offensive cyber capability. 2.0 STRATEGIC CONTEXT The scale of global technological change and its impact is already apparent. The trends and opportunities described before have since accelerated. New technologies and applications have come to the fore, and greater uptake of internet-based technologies worldwide, in particular in developing countries like Sierra Leone, has offered increasing opportunities for economic and social development. These developments have brought, and will continue to bring significant advantages to connected societies such as ours. But as our reliance on networks grows, so do the opportunities for those who would seek to compromise our systems. Equally, the geopolitical landscape has changed. Malicious cyber activity knows no international boundaries. State actors are experimenting with offensive cyber capabilities. Cyber criminals are broadening their efforts and expanding their modus operandi to achieve higher value pay-outs. Terrorists, and their sympathizers, are conducting low-level attacks and aspire to carry out more significant acts. This chapter sets out our assessment of the nature of these threats, our vulnerabilities and how these continue to evolve.