As assurance service providers, professional accountant in practice has to look into the organizations for cyber risk management. They should take responsibility to advise the organizations for improvement of cyber security systems.
The company directors should often discharge their duties by delegating them to professional accountants who would come up with methods to protect the company silver increasingly in a digital environment.
ICAB Council Member and Past President Mohammed Humayun Kabir in his key-note paper described the role of professional accountants in preventing cyber malpractice. In the backdrop of Panama papers scam and hacking of reserve money of Bangladesh Bank, the 
Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB) organized the members’ conference on the rising threat of cyber attacks and expectations from the Professional Accountants on Sunday, 10 April 2016 at ICAB auditorium where Mr. Kabir presented his paper.
Dr. QaziKholiquzzaman Ahmad, Chairman, Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) graced the program as the chief guest. AKM Aftabul Islam FCA, Former President, AMCHAM was the session chairman while ICAB President Kamrul Abedin FCA delivered welcome speech and Vice President Mahmudul Hasan Khusru FCA gave concluding remarks.
The government has to take appropriate steps to respond to the growing threat of cyber terrorism. There is need for sharing of cyber security threat information within the private sector and between the private sector and the government through the formation of Information Sharing and Analysis Organizations, Mr. Kabir suggested in the paper.
He also stressed for updating of ICAB study manuals on IT & incorporation of topics & case studies on ICT & cyber security in IT syllabuses of ICAB and holding workshop to strengthen IT knowledge & cyber security issues for ICAB members.
Dr. QaziKholiquzzaman Ahmad said that human resource development is the centre for bringing over all developments. We can’t advance without taking advice from the others, it should not be like this. If we want to go far, we have to forge skilled manpower, he added. In digital ages unless managing the organizations properly and having skilled manpower, cyber attack would remain a great threat, he further said.
Kamrul Abedin said that cyber attacks pose a threat to all organizations; the financial institutions are over 30 % more like to be targeted than other companies. Recently, Russian security company Kaspersky reported 100 banks and financial institutions across 30 countries infiltrated by cyber criminals. He said accountants need to understand IT security policies at their firms to ensure safe online practices, procedures of reporting and dealing with breaches.
Highlighting key features, AKM Aftabul Islam eloquently summarized the conference subject.
