2020-04-02
The Bank of Angola issued Notice No. 08/2020 to mandate comprehensive cybersecurity policies and cloud computing adoption frameworks for all supervised Financial Institutions. The regulation requires institutions to implement risk-aligned security controls, execute detailed incident response plans with mandatory 4-hour status updates, and submit pre-contractual notifications for cloud outsourcing at least sixty days in advance. Additionally, it enforces a five-tier information classification system and obligates institutions to verify provider capabilities, ensure data recovery protocols, and maintain continuous operational resilience against cyber threats.
PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL GAZETTE, FIRST SERIES, NO. 41, OF APRIL 2 NOTICE NO. 08/2020 SUBJECT: FINANCIAL SYSTEM - Cybersecurity Policy and Cloud Computing Adoption
Considering the need to establish rules regarding the cybersecurity component, as well as the terms and conditions for contracting data processing and storage services and cloud computing, to be observed by Financial Institutions under the supervision of the Bank of Angola; Considering also the need to define reporting mechanisms regarding any situations with significant impact on the stability of the Angolan Financial System, namely events with potential negative impact on the results or equity of Financial Institutions, including operational incidents, in a context of growing importance of operational risk associated with information and communication technologies; In these terms, under the combined provisions of item j) of Article 90 of Law No. 12/15, dated June 17 – Law on the Basic Framework of Financial Institutions, and item f) of paragraph 1 of Article 21 and Article 51, both of Law No. 16/10, dated July 15 – Bank of Angola Law.
IT IS DETERMINED: CHAPTER I General Provisions Article 1. (Object) This Notice establishes the rules on cybersecurity policy and the terms and conditions for contracting data processing and storage services and cloud computing to be observed by Financial Institutions authorized to operate by the Bank of Angola.
Article 2. (Scope) This Notice applies to Financial Institutions under the supervision of the Bank of Angola, hereinafter abbreviated as Institutions, in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in the Law on the Basic Framework of Financial Institutions.
Article 3. (Definitions) For the purposes of this Notice, it is understood that: a) Cybersecurity: set of policies and controls, means and technologies aimed at protecting programs, computers, networks, and data from unlawful intrusion or digital attacks that cause damage to them. b) Cloud Computing: model that allows convenient and direct access and provision of a set of configurable computing resources and data storage, which can be rapidly provisioned and accessed with minimal management effort or interaction between service providers. c) Critical Technological Infrastructure: information systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, that are vital for the normal functioning of Financial Institutions, whose failure or destruction entails a high impact on institutional operations.
CHAPTER II Cybersecurity Policy Article 4. (Implementation of Cybersecurity Policy)
Article 5. (Duty to Disclose Security Policies) The cybersecurity policy must be disclosed to the public, employees, and service providers using clear, objective, and accessible language, according to the levels of functions performed, as well as the sensitivity of information inherent to said policy.
Article 6. (Action and Incident Response Plan) For the implementation of the cybersecurity policy, Institutions must develop an action plan capable of responding to incidents, containing at a minimum the following requirements: a) Adequacy of organizational and operational structures; b) Routines, procedures, controls, and technologies to be used in incident prevention and response, in compliance with cybersecurity policy guidelines; c) Actions to be developed by Institutions to align organizational and operational structures with the principles and guidelines of the cybersecurity policy; d) Indication of the area responsible for recording, monitoring, and controlling relevant incidents; and e) Cybersecurity policy procedures manual, approved by the governing body or management, which must be reviewed annually or whenever relevant changes occur in the Institution.
Article 7. (Institutionalization of Security Structures) Institutions must establish a dedicated structure or team(s) responsible for the cybersecurity policy and the execution of the action and incident response plan.
Article 8. (Incident Notification Obligation)
CHAPTER III Contracting Cloud Computing Services Article 9. (Adoption of Cloud Computing)
Article 10. (Communication of Cloud Computing Adoption)
Article 11. (Contracting Cloud Services)
Article 12. (Classification of Information to be Migrated to the Cloud)
CHAPTER IV Final Provisions Article 13. (Sanctions) Non-compliance with this Notice constitutes an offense provided for and punishable under Law No. 12/15, dated June 17 – Law on the Basic Framework of Financial Institutions.
Article 14. (Doubts and Omissions) Doubts and omissions resulting from the interpretation and application of this Notice are resolved by the Bank of Angola.
Article 15. (Repealing Clause) All provisions contrary to this Notice are hereby repealed.
Article 16. (Entry into Force) This Notice enters into force 30 (thirty) days after the date of its publication. PUBLISHED. Luanda, March 16, 2020. THE GOVERNOR JOSÉ DE LIMA MASSANO ANEXO
For information classification purposes by Financial Institutions, special treatment measures are necessary, considering the implications and responsibilities associated with this classification. Financial Institutions must classify information according to the following criteria:
Highly Confidential Information 1.1 It is all information associated with relevant interests of the Institution. If disclosed, it may bring serious financial losses, enormous impact on business, or repercussions for the image of the Institution or the Government of Angola. These information require exceptional control and protection measures against unauthorized access; 1.2 Highly confidential information is generally restricted to the Board of Directors, Managers with relevant management functions, executives, and previously designated employees who, due to the nature of their function, are obliged to know it; 1.3 All highly confidential information must possess rigorous control regarding its disclosure, as well as historical records with unequivocal identification of users who accessed it. 1.4 Copies of highly confidential documents must be pre-approved by their owner (the originator) and possess a unique identification; 1.5 Highly confidential information must be stored in an access-controlled location and possess physical security measures for transport, requiring the owner's authorization for transport outside the Institution; 1.6 For electronic transmission of highly confidential information, encryption is mandatory in any communication medium, internal or external to the Institution.
Confidential Information 2.1 It is all information whose knowledge should be limited to a small number of authorized persons. If disclosed, it may bring great impact on business or repercussions for the Institution's image, administrative embarrassment with employees, or advantages to third parties. These information require a high degree of control and protection against unauthorized access. 2.2 This classification includes: information guaranteeing the Institution competitive advantages, those describing a significant part of the Institution's business, those containing long-term operational strategies, those important for the technical or financial success of a product, and those with potentially serious impact on Human Resources policies and practices. 2.3 Confidential information is generally restricted to Institution managers and previously designated employees who, due to the nature of their function, are obliged to know it. 2.4 Internal disclosure of confidential information to employees not belonging to the same function as the recipient, as well as copies of confidential documents, must be pre-approved by the owner; 2.5 All confidential information must be stored in an access-controlled location and possess physical security measures for transport, requiring the owner's authorization for transport outside the Institution; 2.6 For electronic transmission of confidential information, encryption is mandatory.
Reserved Information 3.1 It is all information whose knowledge and use must be restricted to a specific group of employees or areas of the Institution. It should not be disclosed, published, and must be accessible to any employee or non-employee; 3.2 Reserved information is generally limited to a unit or working group and employees who, due to the nature of their function, are obliged to know it. 3.3 When classifying information as reserved, it must be explicit for which group or purpose the information is reserved. 3.4 Internal disclosure of reserved information, as well as copying reserved documents for other employees who need them to perform their tasks, is permitted. 3.5 All reserved information must be stored in an access-controlled location, requiring the owner's authorization for transport outside the Institution.
Internal Information 4.1 It is all information whose knowledge and use is restricted exclusively to the internal scope and purposes of the Institution, available to all employees and authorized non-employees circulating in its premises. It should only be revealed to the external public upon authorization; 4.2 This classification includes: information related to internal company program development; lists for locating employees within the company; etc.
Public Information 5.1 It is all information that may or should be disclosed to the external public of the Institution; 5.2 This classification includes: informational information to be published and information that the Institution is obliged to disclose based on prevailing legislation; 5.3 All public information must receive special treatment regarding its presentation and content, so as not to prejudice the Institution's image.