Safaricom PLC has urged businesses, the government and individuals to invest in technologies that protect sensitive information and critical systems from cyber threats as part of CyberSecurity Awareness Month.
The leading telco hosted an industry-wide cyber security summit on Tuesday, October 17, under the theme Becoming a Cyber Resilient Organisation.
The event attracted close to 400 cybersecurity industry leaders and professionals, who discussed the latest cybersecurity trends and evolving enterprise networks.
According to the Communications Authority, Kenya experienced more than 123 million cyber-threat events between July to September 2023.
This shows the increasing sophistication and professionalism of cybercrime actors, who are constantly designing, building, and evolving solutions to bypass or overcome the most advanced cybersecurity solutions.
“Cybercrime is becoming increasingly professionalized, leading to a proliferation of numerous subtle and sophisticated threats. This has created a landscape in which companies face more significant cyber threats than ever before. As cyber threat actors refine their techniques, attacks will become even more common, and companies will face novel and more dangerous cyber threats,” said Nicholas Mulila, Chief Corporate Security Officer, Safaricom PLC.
Safaricom offers a variety of solutions that connect, protect, enable, and transform business, ensuring business continuity even in the face of cyber attacks.
These include security advisory, network security, online/data/web security, cyber security operations, and physical security that includes a video surveillance system.
The telco also has an enhanced cloud solution that is augmented with cyber security, reliable connectivity, and payment services.
“We continue to provide a variety of solutions that connect, protect, enable, and transform business, ensuring business continuity even in the face of cyber attacks. We also have an enhanced cloud solution that is augmented with cyber security, and reliable connectivity and payment services,” said Cynthia Kropac, Chief Enterprise Business Officer, Safaricom PLC.
The government has also taken steps to address the gaps in the changing cyberspace by introducing a National Cybersecurity Strategy (2022-2027) that outlines an implementation framework and timeline.
“Cyber crimes are increasing due to the advances in technology. Cybersecurity is key to everything we do. We have developed an integrated cooperative management system to transform our systems from analogue to digital to improve our efficiency in service delivery and we are committed to safeguard this platform from cyber threats ,” said Patrick Kilemi, Principal Secretary, State Department for Cooperatives.
Other dignitaries present at the forum were Jackson Makewa, Director Cybersecurity, Department for Information Communications and Colonel James Kimuyu, Director General, National Computer and Cybercrimes.
