Staying Safe Online Amid COVID-19
How USAID can strengthen cyber security awareness across our partner countries
As COVID-19 drives more people online for work, entertainment, and connecting with friends and family, digital and data security issues are increasingly important across the United States and around the world. However, citizen-focused digital and data security discussions are still in early stages in some countries, especially in Southeast Asia.
In honor of National Cyber Security Awareness Month, we want to highlight USAID’s cyber awareness activities under the Digital Connectivity and Cybersecurity Partnership (DCCP), a whole-of-government initiative launched in July 2018 by Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, that are working to build cybersecurity capacity among our partners and to address shared threats through engagement with the private sector, government, and civil society.
“We do this because we recognize the tremendous economic and social benefits that come with an open, secure, and reliable internet.”
— Michael Pompeo, Secretary of State
Through DCCP, USAID is implementing activities across 17 countries in Asia and Africa to promote an open, interoperable, reliable, and secure internet and to make citizens and small businesses more digital savvy and safe from cyber threats. One of the DCCP activities, the Digital Asia Accelerator (DAA), focuses specifically on digital literacy and cybersecurity in Cambodia, Indonesia. Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, and Thailand.
How to engage citizens on cyber hygiene
In Cambodia, the early effects of COVID-19 on small firms and citizens were apparent by April. Scams, hacking, and fake news schemes targeted vulnerable users and used fear to generate confusion and panic, which in some cases led to theft of money and personal information. For example, in July 2020 Cambodia’s Ministry of Interior’s Anti-Cybercrimes Department warned the public over an app phishing scam which stole information from users, such as bank account and credit card details. These types of scam and hacking schemes are even more of a threat to users that are unfamiliar with all the features of their phones and how to implement safe cyber hygiene practices.
Today, more than 9.7 million Cambodians are online and using social media — well over half of the population. However, as internet penetration grows, Cambodians don’t always get access to the information or the skills they need to stay safe online. Through the DAI team’s previous experience running USAID’s Development Innovations project for six years in Cambodia, the Accelerator team knew that the best way to reach people in Cambodia, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, was through video messages on Facebook.
Partnering with the Cambodian enterprise support organization SHE Investments to better understand our target users, we designed an online safety campaign with 10 “tips and tricks” videos to help small firms and citizens protect themselves online. Each video was designed to address specific problems that Cambodian users face such as weak passwords, challenges downloading apps directly onto their phones, or online scams.
To date, the videos have attracted more than 900,000 views. We have already heard anecdotally that the simple messages in the videos are proving useful to our target users, as well as citizens in nearby countries.
“I used to think that using passcodes is time consuming because I’m busy with my business, but it’s different now. If I protect myself, I also protect my business.”
— Sreymom Som, owner of a beauty salon and online clothing business, in Phnom Penh
Over time, we believe the videos will prompt even more Cambodians to take steps to protect themselves, their data, and their devices as the country and its small business sector continue to transform digitally. As cyber threats increase with new users coming online, USAID is increasingly focused on how to raise cyber awareness and provide citizens information on the safe and effective use of digital tools in the countries in which we work. USAID’s cybersecurity portfolio is quickly growing, with other ongoing activities including Digital APEX, Cybersecurity for Critical Infrastructure in Ukraine, as well as different initiatives under the USAID Digital Strategy.
Through these activities and the Digital Connectivity and Cybersecurity Partnership, USAID is working across the globe to ensure that the internet remains an open, interoperable, safe, reliable, and secure space while advancing economic prosperity and preserving the agency and security of citizens.
About the Author
Kate Heuisler works with the Digital Asia Accelerator, funded by USAID under the Digital Connectivity and Cybersecurity Partnership.
