Safaricom cybersecurity summit pushes stronger digital security as AI threats evolve

Nairobi, Kenya, October 14 - Safaricom has emphasized the need for robust cybersecurity measures as artificial intelligence introduces fresh risks for businesses and users of digital services. Speaking at the fourth Safaricom Cybersecurity Summit in Nairobi, Group Chief Executive Officer Peter Ndegwa underscored that responsible adoption of AI should accompany stronger protections, harmonized standards, and cooperation across various sectors.

Ndegwa stated, "AI holds immense potential for businesses and society, but this promise must be anchored in trust." He elaborated, "Cybersecurity can no longer be an afterthought, added to a service post-development. It must be integrated from the beginning and reinforced through shared standards, responsible innovation, and sector-wide collaboration."

The summit, themed "Harnessing AI, Strengthening Security," convened stakeholders from Kenya's digital landscape to deliberate on the burgeoning application of AI in cybersecurity and its capacity to facilitate sophisticated threats such as deepfakes, AI-driven impersonation, automated scams, and ransomware. This event follows a surge in cyber threats in Kenya.

The Communications Authority of Kenya's National Kenya Computer Incident Response Team–Coordination Centre reported 11.12 billion cyber threat occurrences in the most recent fiscal year, marking a 29% rise from the 8.62 billion incidents noted in the previous year. Attendees deliberated on leveraging AI-powered threat detection, enhancing incident response, fortifying ransomware defenses, and tackling cybersecurity skill gaps.

Conversations also stressed the significance of stringent response protocols, unambiguous accountability, and a security-conscious workforce equipped to recognize anomalous behavior and authenticate high-risk requests. Safaricom highlighted the imperative to broaden access to cybersecurity solutions for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), which constitute approximately 70% of Kenya's gross domestic product.

The company underscored the criticality of safeguarding these businesses' operations, customer data, and digital transactions as more entities integrate technology to serve customers and manage their affairs. Safaricom offers Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) for secure, centralized connectivity across diverse business sites and a Managed Security Operations Centre (MSOC) delivering round-the-clock threat monitoring, expert analysis, and coordinated incident response.

These solutions aim to equip businesses with enterprise-grade security without necessitating the establishment and management of intricate cybersecurity infrastructures in-house.