We need more cyber security professionals, says UCC boss

Uganda is facing a shortage of cyber security professionals, the executive director of the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has revealed. 

Speaking at the Cyber Stars Competition 2022 finale at UCC headquarters in Kampala on Friday,   Ms Irene Kaggwa Sewankambo said the regulatory body is seeking to increase the number of cyber security experts in the country through such competitions. 

“What we have observed in Uganda is that we have very few cyber security experts and it is a global problem so what we are doing is boosting so that we have more people becoming experts in that area,” Ms Sewankambo said.

The competition attracted students from universities including Busitema, Uganda Christian University (UCU), Bishop Stuart, ISBAT University Kampala, St Lawrence, and Kabale with the best six students emerging from ISBAT and St Lawrence universities 

Ms Sewankambo indicated that the cyber star competitions are geared toward creating awareness about cyber vulnerability and ensuring everyone can protect themselves.

“This annual competition where students compete to find different cyber threat remedies seek to foster an increase in cyber professionals in that even if your university might not have a cyber security programme you can still pick interest and pursue a career,” she said. 

She added: “In as much as technology is a good thing, it is a double-edged sword. It comes with its challenges and security is one of them. The reality is the rate of cybercrime is even higher than it is reported because many of the cases are solved internally maybe in the organisation or the community for example banks have their cyber security experts.”  

Ms Sewankambo revealed that a plan is underway to have cyber security programmes incorporated in secondary schools as a way to bring up more professionals in the field.

Cyber security

The scarcity of cyber security professionals has caused a vulnerability in the technology sector and huge losses to businesses that largely depend on cyber communication like banks. 

According to the annual crime report 2020 by Uganda Police Force, 256 cyber cases were reported in that year with less than half being prosecuted. Consequently, the country loses over Shs16b annually to cyber-related offences.