The National Kenya Computer Incident Response Team Coordination Centre (KE-CIRT-CC) last year analysed and validated 4,589 cyber threats.
The need for companies to go where customers are is the reason behind the mad rush to create online portals, but the sting lies in increasing exposure to cyber security threats.
The rage is either to go mobile or risk being pushed into oblivion disrupted by poorly funded startups run from dimly lit backrooms or garages.
The hype has in its wake, however, created new jobs for mobile app developers and website administrators as local companies now trade their wares and services on the go.
According to virtual mall StateDuka.co.ke co-founder William Anguka, online business portals are not about to fade away.
“Banks, saccos, media, distribution, security, matatus, music, pubs, hotels, IT, retail chains and even logistics firms have been forced by circumstances to pursue customers where they are,” he said.
Not to be left behind, the Kenya Union of Savings and Credit Societies’ Organisation (Kuscco) has moved to establish a stand-alone firm, IRNET Kenya (ICK), which enables small saccos to offer services 24/7 via mobile apps on a pay-per-use model.
“The future provision of financial services is digital banking and ICK gives the small saccos a platform to offer services to their members securely via the web and on mobile phone apps. Each sacco will have its secure portal thereby saving them the need to acquire ICT infrastructure and cost of employing staff to man the facility,” said Kuscco’s managing director George Ototo of the platform.
To date, 58 saccos have uploaded customer data on the platform easing the need to travel long distances to be served. This has made savings or withdrawals as well as applications for loans easy as members access their individual accounts via their secret codes.
But the craze has not come without challenges that have placed a new responsibility on companies to invest cyber security measures.
According to the Communications Authority of Kenya’s latest findings, the National Kenya Computer Incident Response Team Coordination Centre (KE-CIRT-CC) analysed and validated 4,589 cyber threats.