@iLabAfrica – CYBERSECURITY UNIT

ABOUT

The Cybersecurity department offers research, training and consultancy in IT Security, IT Audits and Penetration Testing.

We believe in a holistic approach to security management by taking into consideration the people, processes, policy formulations and technology dimensions of information security.
This department has partnered with internationally recognised firms as well as local IT companies to run projects and conduct security training
for individuals and companies on cybersecurity threats and prevention.

TRAINING CALENDAR

Training Calendar access 2021 calendar from this link

CONTACT US

Email: ilabitsecurity@strathmore.edu

Phone: +254 703 034 616 / +254 703 034 661

Who we are

An IT Security department established to spearhead research, training and consultancy in IT cyber security.

What we do

We research, consult and train in areas touching on cybersecurity and distributed ledgers such as blockchain.

Why it matters

Our mission is focused on the attainment of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)# 16 which is to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.

RESEARCH AREAS

PROJECT

PARTNERS

ABOUT

Threat Intelligence

ACPM IT Consulting Ltd, Hungary
BCK Kenya Limited

Never has the role of Threat Intelligence analyst and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) been so meaningful. More connected devices, larger storage capacity, and faster connections have resulted in an explosion of available information. The problem facing the intelligence community (IC) is no longer how to get more data; it’s understanding how to turn the data they have into answers. That’s where CERT/ Threat intelligence comes in.

What it is?

Threat intelligence, or cyber threat intelligence is the analysis of data using tools and techniques to generate meaningful information about existing and future or emerging threats targeting the organization that helps mitigate risks that could cause financial and reputational damage. This information is used to identify, prepare and prevent cyber threats looking to take advantage of valuable resources. Therefore, Threat Intelligence helps organizations make faster, more informed security decisions and change their behavior from reactive to proactive to combat cyber-attacks.

Distributed Ledgers/ Blockchain

KENET
Safeways
IBM

A Blockchain is a distributed ledger that provides a way of recording and sharing information by a community. In this community, each member can access the most updated copy of the information and all members validate any updates collectively, or assign the role of validation to a few trusted members among them to quicken the process.

The information could represent transactions, contracts, assets, identities or practically anything else that can be described in digital form. Entries are permanent, transparent and searchable, which makes it possible for community members to view transaction histories in their entirety. Each update is stored in a “block” added to the end of a “chain of blocks”. A protocol manages how new edits or entries are initiated, validated, recorded and distributed.

With Blockchain, cryptology replaces third- party intermediaries as the keeper of trust, with all blockchain participants running complex algorithms to certify the integrity of the whole.” (Piscini, Guastella, Rozman, & Nassim, 2016).

As research into and adoption of this new technology progresses worldwide, @iLabAfrica’s blockchain research team is also engaging in activities to establish the technology’s applicabilities in resolving current problems in the country. It is also engaging in training activities as a form of building capacity and expanding the technology’s knowledge among the students and IT professionals

The Unit has so far developed a blockchain system for issuing and maintaining academic certificates

Upcoming projects

Research and project development; ‘Using blockchain for monitoring traffic offenses’
Training sessions
Research activities

The unit also received funding from KENET

Child Online Protection (COP)

ICT Norway
ASSEK
Communications Authority
Strathmore University Institute for Family Studies and Ethics (IFS)
Program for Family Development (PFD)
Center for Research on Organizations, Work and Family (CROWF)
The Royal Norwegian Embassy in Nairobi
Global Kids Online (UNICEF)

The explosion of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) has created unprecedented opportunities for children and young people to learn, communicate and exchange ideas on matters that interest them through the Internet and mobile technologies. Widened access to the Internet in Africa and specifically Kenya has allowed local children and youth access to a wide array of beneficial information which is hosted online. While all this has brought on a lot of great benefits, we must also be cognisant of the risks associated with unfiltered access to the Internet and mobile technologies by children and the youth, who form a vulnerable group among the internet users.

Protecting children and youth online is a global problem that requires the joint effort of parents, teachers, guardians, governments and child centric organizations. All the parties involved need to work hand in hand with the children and youth to sensitize them on responsible digital citizenship.

It is with this awareness in mind that @iLabAfrica, in collaboration with the different industry partners is working on a variety of initiatives in the line of Child online protection like research, trainings, content development etc,

What have we done so far?

Developed data collection tools to administer on child online activities in Kenya. These tools are undergoing research review with the SU Ethical approval Committee before they can be administered to the respondents.

upcoming projects

Research on child online activities in Kenya. Data will be collected from both children and adults dealing with children. The choice of respondent groups will enable us to correlate what the children are doing while online and what the adults who deal with them are handling this.
Training for both children and adults on online safety measures and requisite skills.
Research finding dissemination

Funding From the Norwegian Embassy.

Our partners include: