Kenya Cyber Security Report 2015
Cyber Security Perspective from the
Academic Sector
Paula Musuva Kigen | Research Associate Director, Centre for
Informatics Research and Innovation (CIRI), Digital Forensics and
Cybercrime Lecturer, United States International University (USIU)
T
his is yet another year of great
management (SIEM) systems to identify
insights from the Serianu Team.
attack patterns, design of customized
This year the Kenya Cyber
algorithms that indicate compromise,
Security Report gives us local intelligence
customizing tools to capture security
into the top Cyber Security challenges
events for example based on honeypot
organisations are facing in Kenya.
and honeynet technologies.
I have been fortunate to collaborate as
Another key contribution that academia
Notable initiatives that kicked off in 2014
an academia partner in designing the
partners can bring is in conducting
include the IBM Middle East and Africa
data collection instruments, analysing
Cyber Security Education, Training and
(MEA) University program, which is part
data and documenting it in this report.
Awareness – commonly referred to as
of the IBM Academic Initiative. There
This is an important role that academia
SETA. The common sense knowledge in
are many disciplines covered in the
partners can play in the cyber security
cyber security is lacking among many
IBM MEA University program and Cyber
space. Research is our strength based
employees and in the general public.
Security and Information Assurance is
on skill, time and human resource.
Training seminars and workshops can
one of them. Another by ISACA is the
Academic institutions have students
be offered by university professors
Cybersecurity Nexus which was launched
who can be co-opted into research
in organisations at reasonable and
in 2014. The entry point for students and
projects. They can offer the manpower
competitive costs. Training curricula
recent graduates is the Cybersecurity
for data collection and in the case of
and materials can be developed in
Fundamentals Certificate which gives
post-graduate programs (masters and
collaboration with the information
employers confidence in the Cybersecurity
PhD) they can devote time in research to
security departments in the organisation
knowledge the graduate has.
solve specific cyber security problems. It
in order to capture the pressing needs of
is true that many organisations would
the organisation.
be weary of contracting students to
undertake cyber security research but
there are areas of low risk that could be
considered. Examples of low risk cyber
security problems that can be addressed
through student research could relate to
security testing of business applications
to identify vulnerabilities, analysis of
data from security information and event
industry recognized certifications to
their student body. This is to help
bridge the skills gap by providing top
quality graduates in cyber security.
It is our hope as academic partners that
we can form synergies with industry
Universities are now also offering
in the areas of research, training and
undergraduate and post-graduate
skills development. We hope to have
degree programs with specializations
active Academic Centers of Excellence for
in Information Security. In addition,
Cyber Security in the near future. Such
some universities are now partnering
initiatives will go a long way in securing
with professional bodies and key
our region’s cyber space.
industry players such as ISACA, Cisco,
IBM, Microsoft, Ec-Council to offer
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