Gov’t Setting Up Cybersecurity Centers for Protection Against Attacks, PS Omollo Says

The government is investing in long-term capacity-building initiatives, such as establishing cyber security centers of excellence to enhance to unify the efforts to protect the cyberspace, and foster collaboration between government, the private sector, and international partners.

Internal Security principal Secretary Dr Raymond Omollo Tuesday warned that as Kenyans become more reliant on technology, the threats they face grow more sophisticated and it was therefore essential that the country build strong cyber security capabilities to among other things protect the digital future and remain prepared to face challenges these head-on.

Speaking during the Cyber ​​Week Africa 2024 Conference and Expo at the University of Nairobi, Dr Omollo revealed that the cyber security threats come from many sources including state-sponsored actors, hackers, intruders, and individuals who misuse their skills for malicious purposes.

The four-day conference aims to increase user awareness, build capacity, and deepen our understanding of the risks we face in the cyber environment.

The government agencies and industry leaders are also expected to share crucial information to better protect our cyberspace.

“Kenya’s cybersecurity strategic vision is to create a cyberspace that is safe and secure for all. To this, we must ensure that the advantage remains with the defenders, that we are able to achieve our Critical Information Infrastructures, and that we maintain resilience even in the event of cyberattacks,” he said.

The conference was attended by the acting Vice Chancellor of the UoN Prof Margaret Jesang Hutchinson, Director General Kenya School of Government Prof Nura Mohamed, UoN’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor Prof. Francis Mulaa, Dean of the School of Science, Engineering and Health at the Daystar University, Prof. Martha Kiarie and the Director of the National Computer and Cybercrimes Coordination Committee (NC4).

Others were the Embassy of Israel to Kenya Representative Barak Granot, Chairperson Cyberpro Global Noah Emunah and CEO Cyberpro Global John Mutunga.

“Cyber ​​attacks on our critical Information Infrastructures could jeopardize our national security, public safety, and economic stability. “This is particularly concerning as both government and the private sectors rely heavily on ICTs for service delivery,” he said.

Dr Omollo said the country’s share future depends on strengthening the cyber education system and expanding the national cyber security workforce.

“No number of technical solutions will be effective unless we have the skilled professionals needed to implement them. Additionally, we must establish coordinated efforts, response structures, and regulatory clarity in this rapidly evolving environment where innovation and cyber security meet,” he said.

The government this year strengthened the legal framework with the enactment of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime (Critical Information Infrastructure and Cybercrime Management) Regulations, 2024. These laws were drafted by the NC4 to operationalize the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, 2018.

According to PS Omollo, the key aspects of the CMCA Regulations address include protection measures for critical information infrastructure; supporting critical economic sectors including telecoms, banking, transport and energy sectors; cyber security operations management using cyber security operations centers; and cybercrimes management.

The regulations also stipulate how to deal with issues of scams, identity theft, hacking and internet fraud and also address the cybercrime capacity and capability building for public, businesses, government institutions, and private entities to enhance their cyber security preparedness and prioritize cyber security.

It also provides for recovery plans in the event of a disaster, breach or loss of national critical information infrastructure or any part of it.

Omollo has also asked the universities to be innovative and come up with solutions to address these challenges and also consider review of the curriculum I view of the changing security landscape.

In the recent past, there has been increased and abnormal global internet traffic targeted at several Critical Information Infrastructures (CIIs) in Kenya, aimed at disrupting essential services.

Telecommunications, banking and education sectors are the most targeted. These traffic constitute Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, which, according to experts, have become more powerful and sophisticated.

In Africa, the Telecommunications industry remains the most attacked industry for the second consecutive quarter. The Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) industry follows as the second most attacked. The majority of the attack traffic originated from Asia (35 percent) and Europe (25 percent).

“Together with other legislation, these regulations form the foundation for protecting our Critical Information Infrastructures,” added Omollo.

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