Cybersecurity Strategy’s Role in Raising Kenyan Awareness of Mobile Internet Threats

Abstract

Cybersecurity has become a global concern, particularly in rapidly de-veloping countries like Kenya. Kenya’s ICT revolution followed the laying of un-dersea cables in 2009. Kenya’s growth in Internet use has been facilitated by high proliferation and adoption of mobile communications. Speedy diffusion and adop-tion has exposed the Kenyan public to unprecedented individual security threats via the mobile platform. A national drive to foster awareness and nurture detection and coping skills is urgently required. This paper focuses on the role of governmental cybersecurity strategy in this area and explores the approaches to be used for im-proving public awareness of mobile Internet threats. Without addressing this vital aspect, the core aim of the strategy could be defeated, despite its comprehensive-ness and excellence in other areas. This paper presents the outcome of an online study and comparative analysis of cybersecurity strategies of two developing coun-tries. We conclude by proposing techniques for raising national awareness of cyber threats of mobile Internet, with a clear mandate to governments in developing countries to address this as a matter of urgency, and to include it in their respective cybersecurity strategies.