Yunus Oyetunde, known as Coy Emerald in the cybersecurity field, has responded to reports from an online media platform concerning the Nigeria Police Website.
In a post shared on his official Facebook handle, the Apple Honoree and CEO of O-range Cyber Security Service addressed the issue.
He emphasized that the use of SSL certificates is merely a recommendation and not necessarily an indication of a secure website.
Oyetunde noted that he came across a report regarding the security status of a subdomain of the Nigerian law enforcement officials’ web portal, specifically mentioning that it lacked an SSL certificate.
While he appreciated the reporter for highlighting this issue, Oyetunde clarified that the absence of an SSL certificate does not automatically render a website unsafe or non-compliant with security guidelines.
He urged ICT departments within the federal government of Nigeria to focus on enhancing the security of their digital infrastructures through regular penetration testing of networks and web applications.
As an independent security researcher, Oyetunde emphasized that the presence or absence of an SSL certificate does not determine the safety or security of a website.
ALSO READ: Iranian attack: Israel makes own decisions, Netanyahu tells UK
He explained that the lack of an SSL certificate does not necessarily mean that users are at risk of disclosing personal information to phishers and cybercriminals.
“A website that uses an SSL certificate can still be unsafe, just like a Facebook account with a blue tick or badge can still be owned by a cybercriminal!
“Dear members of the public, Please know that even if a website shows a padlocked icon (i.e., has an SSL certificate), this doesn’t mean that such a website is safe and could not be a fraudulent website, so always be careful and think twice before sharing your confidential information with any random website, and always remember that even a website whose URL address begins with “https” can be a phishing website.
“Side note: The only person who can tell if a web application is safe or not is a security researcher, i.e., an ethical hacker, and I urge both Nigerian developers and web owners to consider working with ethical hackers in Nigeria to improve the security of their web applications. I wish everyone safe use of the internet.”
READ ALSO FROM NEWSNGR.COM.NG