Tough Rules Force Kenyan Net Users to List their Gadgets

Kenyans using Wi-Fi to connect to the Internet in public places will be required to register their mobile devices with the Kenya Network Information Centre (Kenic), under new rules aimed at fighting cybercrime.

The customers will be required to provide their telephone numbers and identity card details, which can be used to track them down should they use their gadgets to commit cybercrimes such as fraud or hacking websites.

The gadgets that must be registered include laptops, mobile phones, iPads, e-readers and any other devices that can be used at a public Wi-Fi hot spots such as hotels and restaurants.

This implies that in addition to registering the SIM cards in the gadgets with either Safaricom, Airtel or Telkom Kenya, people who use Wi-Fi will be required to register their devices at the point where they access the Internet, be it in hotels, restaurants, offices and public transport vehicles.

The director-general of the Communications Authority of Kenya, Mr Francis Wangusi, gave the new directive after taking over as the new chairman of the Association of Regulators of Information and Communications for Eastern and Southern Africa (Aricea), the organisation mandated to fight cybercrime with the Comesa region.
“We will license Kenic to register device owners using their national identity cards and telephone numbers, the identity of a device will be known when it connects to Wi-Fi,” Mr Wangusi said at the annual general meeting held in Nairobi.

Failure by any establishment to adhere to the rules will compel Kenic to withdraw the Wi-Fi services used by the defaulting institutions.
“In case a crime is committed, we will then be able to trace people using national identity cards that were registered and their phone numbers keyed in during registration,” said Mr Wangusi.
The Communications Authority is also setting up a forensic laboratory to detect and neutralise impending cyberattacks.
Mr Wangusi said the authority will conduct a detailed study on the extent of web hackings in Kenya. According to him, cyberattacks were on the rise, with the banking sector being the biggest victim followed by government institutions.

The new rules will also require all Kenyan companies to host their websites in the country rather than outside. This would help avoid extra costs associated with sending data out to a different location and back again to the website owner.
Dr Abu Dafalla, the Comesa Director for Infrastructure, said that Kenya now leads in pushing the cybercrime agenda within the region.
“Criminals are carrying out illegal activities on the web and we must protect the region even us we focus on trade. A secure cyberspace will retain revenue loss. Credit card fraud alone is estimated at $37 billion annually in the region,” he said.
Last year, Kenya faced several cyber-threats when the Kenya Defence Forces social media account was hacked. The hacker, self-identified by the Twitter handle @Anon_0x03, also breached the National Environment Trust Fund’s website.

By registering devices used by every Kenyan, there is a possibility that such anonymous attackers can be located from wherever they operate within the country.
Mr Hillary Siele, the manager at Nanchang Hotel in Westlands, Nairobi, welcomed the move, saying it would help curb fraud targeting hotels, leading to loss of money and important documents.

Nation
 

« Some Notes About Wassenaar
Is The Tech Investment Bubble About To Burst ? »

CyberSecurity Jobsite
Perimeter 81

Directory of Suppliers

Alvacomm

Alvacomm

Alvacomm offers holistic VIP cybersecurity services, providing comprehensive protection against cyber threats. Our solutions include risk assessment, threat detection, incident response.

CYRIN

CYRIN

CYRIN® Cyber Range. Real Tools, Real Attacks, Real Scenarios. See why leading educational institutions and companies in the U.S. have begun to adopt the CYRIN® system.

Clayden Law

Clayden Law

Clayden Law advise global businesses that buy and sell technology products and services. We are experts in information technology, data privacy and cybersecurity law.

Jooble

Jooble

Jooble is a job search aggregator operating in 71 countries worldwide. We simplify the job search process by displaying active job ads from major job boards and career sites across the internet.

North Infosec Testing (North IT)

North Infosec Testing (North IT)

North IT (North Infosec Testing) are an award-winning provider of web, software, and application penetration testing.

National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST)

National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST)

NIST is a measurement standards laboratory, and a non-regulatory agency of the United States Department of Commerce. Areas covered include IT and cybersecurity.

TechInsurance

TechInsurance

TechInsurance is America's top technology insurance company offering a range of technology related products including Cyber Liability insurance.

Lutech

Lutech

Lutech is an Italian ICT engineering and services company. Business solution areas include cyber security.

Trust in Digital Life (TDL)

Trust in Digital Life (TDL)

TDL is a membership association comprising companies, SMEs, universities and research institutes who exchange experience and insights to make digital services in Europe trustworthy and safe.

Aviva

Aviva

Aviva provides Cyber Liability cover for small to mid-market customers to help combat the threat of data and privacy breach.

Clavis Information Security

Clavis Information Security

Clavis is an Information Security company offering a complete portfolio of solutions from Pentesting and Security Assessments to Managed Security Services and Training.

3Elos

3Elos

3Elos operates in the Information Technology market with a focus on research, development, consulting, marketing and implementation of Information Security solutions.

IPification

IPification

IPification is a highly secure, credential-less, network-based authentication solution for frictionless user experience on mobile and IoT devices.

Scythe

Scythe

SCYTHE is a next generation red team platform for continuous and realistic enterprise risk assessments.

HunCERT

HunCERT

HunCERT's mission is to assist Hungarian Internet Service Providers in applying appropriate procedures to address the risks of computer network incidents and to respond to such incidents.

Cybrella

Cybrella

Cybrella offers professional cybersecurity services for small to medium sized businesses and to larger enterprises looking to expand their cybersecurity capabilities.

Aikido Technology Services

Aikido Technology Services

Aikido Technology Services is a leading-edge technology solutions provider, servicing the Pacific North West USA. We offer affordable IT solutions designed to streamline and secure your business.

SYN Ventures

SYN Ventures

SYN Ventures invests in disruptive, transformational solutions that reduce technology risk.

PRE Security

PRE Security

PRE Security is leading the transition into the next era of AI cybersecurity with a new model: Predict & Prevent.

SCS Technology Solutions

SCS Technology Solutions

SCS Technology Solutions has become the preferred partner for top performing organisations across Lincolnshire for IT support and consultancy.

Driven Technologies

Driven Technologies

Driven is a cloud native service provider transforming the way companies leverage technology to improve business by securing, modernizing, and connecting applications, users, and data.