Call for Action to Value Encryption and Ensure Users’ Data Protection

By Elias Hakizimana.

Internet Society Rwanda Chapter (ISOC) in partnership with the global Encryption coalition has celebrated Global Encryption Day 2023, with a call for action for internet users to value encryption as a gatekeeping tool to ensure data protection and online safety.

The celebration took place in Kigali on October 20, 2023, under the theme: “Encryption Makes People Powerful.”

Emmanuel Mfitumukiza, Chairperson of the Internet Society Rwanda Chapter explains that the foundation of the Global Encryption Day for Internet community users builds on safety, which means trust and protection.

“This year’s theme: “Encryption Makes People Powerful”, aligns with the Internet Society Rwanda Chapter’s principles. When information on the internet is misused, it affects individual users, so, we need to be careful when we are digitally communicating.” Mfitumukiza says.

He went on to explain that the internet is an infrastructure such as roads or other infrastructures.

Mfitumukiza highlights three important things that characterize secured and protected information: confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Understanding Encryption

“Encryptions has two parts, sender and receiver, we always need encryption in our daily digital life to ensure safe communication,” Mfitumukiza says.

He recommends internet users double-check if the platforms they are using have device encryption so as to prevent their information from reaching the wrong receivers.

“For service providers, they should check security parameters and ensure information security is trusted,” Mfitumukiza says.

He added that internet users are gradually understanding the role of encryption as Global Encryption Day is celebrated. “When encryption is not respected, internet security, in general, is not safe, and in that case, users are also not safe, Global Encryption Day celebration keeps on shading light to users, being students, traders, government and private institutions, who all manage to understand what should be the role of the internet,” Mfitumukiza explains.

Rosine Usanase, a local business operator says that encryption means a lot in sharing commercial information such as financial transactions.

“You can be considered as a robber when your digital information is not well delivered, especially in the commercial and trade industry, people can lose clients’ trust when there have been some inconveniences caused by the internet,” Usanase says.

Participants at the Global Encryption Day 2023 in Kigali expressed worries about some individuals’ information (usernames and passwords) shared through digital platforms such as emails and other internet accounts.

Therefore, the institutions have internal security mechanisms to keep information confidential, trustworthy, and protected.

Bonita Muhirwa, a student at Mount Kigali University, says that there is a step made in the awareness of encryption, where people get to know their digital rights and privacy.

“At school, significant strides have also been made, we have recently studied security and online data protection, and we can see the value of such subjects including digital inclusion, but, the most challenging issue today remains the lack of awareness,” she says.

Muhirwa advises fellow students to first read the privacy policies of the online applications before continuing to use them and share their information. She also warns internet users to not share their passwords and/or their credentials.

Rwanda adopted the law on the protection of personal data and privacy in October 2021. One of the tenets of this law is the clear and unambiguous consent of an individual to the collection, storage, and processing of personal data, which is a fundamental right.

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