IV The National Cyber Policy demonstrates the Government’s commitment to strengthening the Government of PNG’s cyber security capabilities and securing PNG from cyber threats. It is a call to action for all PNG Citizens, our universities and all educational institutions, all branches of Government, the private sector, civil society, and the Technical Communities to take the necessary steps to enhance our national cyber-security. To support the Government’s drive towards the digital economy, current government policy encourages competition through the use and development of ICT. As a result, ICT activities in the country have increased significantly and have impacted immensely on society. However, the use of ICT poses risks to the security of electronic systems and infrastructure. These risks are appropriately addressed through the enhancement of Cyber Security. Cyber Security is a fundamental and integral component of ICT development. Cyber-related risks are evolving rapidly and as our country becomes increasingly reliant on ICT, it is of paramount importance that our technical and intelligence capabilities in Cyber Security must also be developed to international standards and in accordance with international best practice in order to provide adequate protection for our critical infrastructure systems. When our critical infrastructure systems or essential services do not function properly, our Government, economy and society can be adversely affected. Recent technological progress has for instance, enhanced the level of convenience with which we conduct our business and carry out daily tasks that previously required cumbersome physical attendances and manual processes. The internet of things (IoT) has simplified such processes as computers have now replaced most of these functions. We are now able to purchase electricity on mobile platforms, airplane tickets online and perform numerous tasks from the comfort of our homes. To be prepared for the compounded risks associated with the increased dependence on the use of ICT, this National Policy Framework helps define how Cyber Security-related activities should be organized and how roles and responsibilities should be shared among institutions. In particular, the Policy provides for the establishment of PNG’s technical and intelligence capabilities and our collaboration with other governments and similar regional and international establishments, in our efforts to protect our critical infrastructure and systems.

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