Cyber security industry experts are meeting in Nairobi to address the rising concerns in the country and across the continent.
Leaders, experts, and enthusiasts from the cyber security industry converged at the United States International University (USIU) for a masterclass aimed at addressing the rising concerns gripping the digital landscape.
The initiative titled Africahackon is aimed at nurturing cybersecurity excellence in Africa.
The programme currently led by Bright Gameli, a leading cyber security expert, is taking place at a crucial time, where a recent report by the Communications Authority of Kenya, revealed a significant rise in cyber threats.
In the three months to December 2023 alone, Kenya was confronted with over 1.2 billion cyber threats, marking a staggering 943 per cent increase from the previous quarter.
Under the Africahackon programme, participants engaged in innovative problem-solving hands-on exercises and collaborated to develope cutting-edge solutions to safeguard digital infrastructure.
Gameli says that highlighting the importance of comprehensive capacity-building efforts across the country, addressing vacancies in both the private and public sectors, and recognising the constant emergence of cyber threats, it is crucial to prioritise continuous readiness and resilience.
ICT Authority deputy director for cyber security Phillip Irode, emphasised the need for public-private partnerships to solve Cybercrime in the country.
"Through Computek College, we have gained over 30 years of experience in developing and delivering post-secondary vocational training to address critical labour market gaps in Canada, particularly in Southern Ontario," said co-founder and deputy chairman, 369 Global Kumaran Nadesan.
Cybersecurity in Kenya has been a growing concern due to the increasing digitisation of various sectors and the rise in cyber threats.
With Global companies in Kenya anticipating the highest rates of security threats in 2024, according to World Security Report published by G4S, AfricaHackon is partnering with Canada-based 369 Global, to introduce a Canadian aspect to their programming.
In the report by G4S, the security threats which include supply chain attacks, malicious damage to company property and violence against employees could have a serious impact on business continuity for large, global companies operating in Kenya.
The Masterclass seeks to serve as a pivotal platform for fostering collaboration and advancing cybersecurity prowess across the continent.
With a focus on nurturing cybersecurity excellence in Africa, the event has gathered gathers top talent to tackle these pressing cyber threats.
"We are excited to explore how we can help bring this expertise to other international jurisdictions and partner with local leaders like Dr. Bright Gameli, to strengthen domestic and international tech labour mobility and generally expand the scope and reach of the Africa - Canada corridor, " added Kumaran.
Projections show that supply chain attacks are likely to jump this year, with cases of malicious damage to company property anticipated to grow.
Kenya-based chief security officers (CSOs) anticipate facing some of the highest security threat rates globally, with fraud and misuse of company resources identified as major concerns.
Climate change and energy supply disruptions are also recognised as significant security hazards, requiring proactive measures and innovative security programs to address them effectively.