INTERNATIONAL – Kenya's large and medium-sized enterprises should prioritize investments in solutions that enhance their resilience against cyber threats in order to sustain their growth and profitability, an expert said on Tuesday.
Bright Gameli Mawudor, brand ambassador of ESET, a global cybersecurity solutions provider, said that infrastructure upgrade combined with training and awareness is key to protect businesses from cyber-attacks.
"Companies must improve their cyber defenses by investing in solutions that can help detect and counter-attacks on their digital platforms," Mawudor told Xinhua, adding that cyber-attacks pose an existential threat to the survival of Kenyan enterprises.
Kenya is ranked among leading cyber-attack hotspots in Africa amid the rapid automation of government services and financial transactions.
The latest Kenya Cybersecurity Report from Serianu Consultancy indicates that the country lost 21 billion shillings ($210 million) from sophisticated cybercrimes.
Mawudor said that October has been designated as a cybersecurity awareness month to help provide a platform for policymakers and investors to explore options that can enhance the cyber resilience of Kenyan businesses.
"As firms expand, automate their services and increase the number of employees, cyber-attacks are bound to occur but they should have a strategy to counter hackers and other malicious actors targeting their digital infrastructure," said Mawudor.
He said that companies should install anti-malware solutions on devices used by employees such as personal computers, smartphones and laptops to foil attacks that may lead to loss of sensitive data.
The expert noted that Kenyan enterprises should leverage strong legislation, capacity development and sensitization to strengthen their response to internal and external threats to cyberspace.
"Kenya has already passed a cyber-security act that provides clarity on the prosecution of criminal acts like hacking and cyberbullying. The legislation will boost efforts to root out cybercrimes in the corporate sector," said Mawudor.