Kenya Cyber Security Report 2015 Cyber Security Perspective from the Cyber Security Sector Tyrus Kamau | Information Security Consultant and Chair of the AfricaHackOn I t has indeed been an eventful year for cyber security providing guidance and globally. Right from the Sony Hack, Hacking Team’s leak, leadership in all matters Android’s Operating Systems’ numerous vulnerabilities, cyber security. In General Motors’ Jeep hack, the list goes on. Locally, we saw a sharp rise in financial fraud within banks through mobile money, system tampering and mobile network exploitation. All these have received wide coverage from the main stream media lending credence to the fact that situational addition, we are seeing a very fast proliferation of technologies such as NFC which, as show cased in the recently concluded AfricaHackOn conference, have inherent vulnerabilities which banks & merchants need to address sooner than later. awareness around the subject is gaining wide spread attention The issue around capacity building is one that will propel the compared to previous years. country into a more proactive approach towards the subject, On the ground, it’s a different ball game. We are still seeing very few capable information security practitioners, insufficient reporting of cyber security incidences and a hands-off approach by the respective Government bodies. Granted, there have been institutions set up like the KE-CIRT housed at whereby entrants to the space will push the envelope in terms of Research & Development, curriculum realignment, legislation and compliance. This has been AfricaHackOn’s mission through university & college bootcamps, training programs and industrial placements for those who go through our course. the Communications Authority (CA) which by now should be In conclusion, there is need for a local professional body to enshrine some core philosophies which are unique to our ecosystem as opposed to borrowing heavily from international best practices. 16