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 14