However some governments are already specifically targeting civil society groups
because they use encryption and Internet security techniques. One of the charges
against the jailed Zone 9 bloggers in Ethiopia is their use of encrypted communication and
participating in trainings on Internet security. 417 Such training is provided by the wellrecognised Berlin-based organisation Tactical Technology Collective, which has
developed the popular tool, Security In A Box, a publicly available resource used by
thousands of human rights defenders worldwide. 418
Cybersecurity attacks can jeopardise user privacy. Companies are increasingly attractive
targets for cyberattacks, jeopardising the confidentiality, availability and integrity of
network systems and personal data.
Myanmar Context
As technology becomes increasingly personal and prevalent in Myanmar life, services will
evolve and risks will increase. Personal data will be stored, transmitted, and accessed by
smart-phone applications, or web-applications for services such as online-banking, ecommerce, or e-government. International examples demonstrate that failing to maintain
the integrity and security of these services has severe implications. In Myanmar, some
have described recent ATM fraud in Myanmar as the first wave of cybercrime as
networked services expand. 419
Figure 4: Breakdown of cybersecurity incidents in 2013
Source: 2013ASEAN-Japan Symposium on Cyber Security ”ICT Usage & Cyber Security Issues in
Myanmar” (October
Figure 4 above shows a breakdown of incidents reported by the Myanmar Computer
Emergency Response Team (MMCERT) as of September 2013.
417
See Trial Tracker Blog, “Contextual translation of the charges of the Zone9 bloggers” (19 July 2014) and
Tactical Technology Collective, “Tactical Tech's and Front Line Defenders' statement on zone 9 bloggers”
(last accessed August 2015).
418 See Burmese language version of Security in a Box.
419 See The Irrawaddy “Foreigners Charged over ATM Scams in Rangoon” (November 2014). In November
2014 thieves used cloned ATM cards to steal 25.2 million Myanmar Kyats across Yangon.
CHAPTER 4.5: CYBER-SECURITY
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4.5