Cameroon:University of Buea research center to check cyber criminality launched

By Smart Njikang Gabriel*

In a recent report published by the U.S Cyber Security firm McAfee, it said that Cameroon is the home of the world’s riskiest internet sites. Apart from the daily activities of scammers who scare away investors from investing in Cameroon, the recent attack on the Cameroon’s Presidential website by unknown hackers stunned many in the country.

 Cameroon has been doing much to combat the cyber crimes and is determined to do more.

     Only recently the Center for Cyber Security, Cyber Defense, and Digital Forensics (CSCDDF) was launched at Mountain Hoetel, Buea by Cameroon’s Minister of Post and Telecommunications, Jean Pierre Biyiti Bi Essam,a clear indication of Government’s continued  fight against cyber criminality.

     The government-backed center, which is placed under the University of Buea, is located the P and T school in Buea.

     

Minister Biyiti Bi Essam launching  CSCDDF in Buea

During the launching, Madam Ali Joan Beri Wacka, one of the initiators of the project, said the research center shall provide training in areas such as: securing cyber space, interpretation of evidence of cyber crimes and mitigation of the effects of cyber attacks.

The center will also provide academic opportunities on cyber security and research. According to Madam Wacka, the CSCDDF is going to be one of its kinds in the Central African sub-region.

    The center will be used strictly for training, research and the enhancement of capacities.

     Professor Inch from Bloomberg University in the United States of America that is a partner institution to the project gave  a talk  on digital forensics and cyber security, noting that  the focus is on three areas-acquisition, identification and analysis of digital evidence.

      The Vice Chancellor (VC) of the University of Buea, Prof. Nalova Lyonga, was happy that her institution is host of such a center, conscious that there is high incidence of cyber criminality around the university.

She described the cyber research center as a public-private partnership and thanked all the partners for their contributions towards the realization of the project.

      According to the VC, in the coming years the programme will be offered as a degree course upon its endorsement by the Minister of Higher Education.

 Minister Biyiti Bi Essam says the CSCDDF is very important because the government is developing many activities in the cyber space and that it is a very timely initiative because there are a lot of projects at all levels that require the use of ICTs.He emphasized the need for people to be sensitized on the cyber crimes.

 Officials in family picture at  CSCDDFlaunch

     The CSCDDF which will be located on the campus of the National Advanced School of Post and Telecommunication will admit 25 trainees during each training session. Those eligible for training at the center are: judges, lawyers, computer scientists, programmers, professionals who work in corporations, and security officers.

     Due to the dangerous status of tools that will be used during the training, one of the criteria for selection of those to be trained will be a good knowledge of their ethical background. For now, no amount has been fixed for those who will be going for training at the CSCDDF when it goes operational.

    The partners of CSCDDF include the University of Buea, the University of Bloomberg in the U.S, and the Ministries of Justice, Defense and Post and Telecommunications.

* Smart Njikang Gabriel is a University of Buea Journalism intern