The Director General of the Cyber Security Authority (CSA), Dr. Albert Antwi-Boasiako, has advised indigenous businesses in the sector to form partnerships with international firms to help build capacity and tap into the sector’s immense opportunities.
Dr. Antwi-Bosiako said it is only through such partnerships that they can compete properly in the cybersecurity space. He thus lauded the partnership between indigenous firm Virtual Infosec Africa (VIA) and LogRhythm, an international company, to protect the data of businesses and organisations against cyber-attacks and interruptions.
He said this partnership between two leading brands in the cybersecurity industry will benefit the industry, businesses and organisations. He described it as exemplary to the kind of business relations the regulator needs for the capacity-building and growth of local players.
Dr. Antwi-Boasiako gave the commendation last week at the NextGen SIEM-SOC Cybersecurity Services launch, which is an outcome of the partnership between VIA and LogRhythm. The event was chaired by former Vice Chancellor of the University Ghana, Prof. Ebenezer Oduro Owusu.
The DG of CSA stated that the authority is proud of VIA’s stellar performance, having been in operation for about 15 years – and is confident that the partnership with LogRhythm will enable it to positively impact many more businesses.
He indicated that the cybersecurity industry is full of untapped potential, and the authority is keen on giving a bigger piece of the pie to locals. He however stated that it would be for naught if indigenous firms are not well empowered. He advised local businesses in the cybersecurity space to join forces with credible foreign counterparts to help build their capacities so they can tap into the existing opportunities.
He also advised players in the sector to embrace the licencing of service providers, which kicked-off this month. He described it as novel and necessary to protect the cybersecurity industry’s integrity.
LogRhythm was represented by its Regional Director for Africa and Pakistan, Essam Ahmed, and the Senior Enterprise Sales Engineer and Regional Consultant, Omar Naggar.
Mr. Ahmed said the service is programmed to reduce cybersecurity exposure, eliminate blind spots, limit damage and disruption, and shut down possible cyber-attacks through the activities of hackers. He said the service, among other things, operates with an artificial intelligence (AI) that is capable of detecting and preventing cyber threats while protecting the data of organisations and institutions which deploy it.
Chief Executive Officer of VIA, Emmanuel Sekyere Asiedu, said he is excited about the partnership as it will enable his outfit to deploy LogRhythm’s award-winning platform in Ghana. He said the platform offers world-class SIEM, NDR and UEBA capabilities to the Ghanaian market and sub-region as a whole.
“With this partnership, we are combining our expertise in cybersecurity to provide businesses with a one-stop-shop for all their cybersecurity needs with the main aim of maximising return on investment. Our joint offering includes a range of services such as network security, cloud security, threat intelligence, and incident response,” he said.
Mr. Asiedu therefore advised businesses and organisations to take advantage of the partnership to protect their data from threats.
The CEO of VIA affirmed cybersecurity is an increasingly important issue in today’s world, noting that as technology evolves, so do the threats to online security.
“Our two companies recognise the need for comprehensive and reliable cybersecurity solutions which protect businesses from a wide range of threats. We are dedicated to ensuring that all customers receive an excellent experience, and we have an ecosystem of trusted expertise to help you successfully deploy and implement the LogRhythm award-winning platform throughout your organisations,” he said.
Mr. Asiedu disclosed that VIA is partnering with universities to set up laboratories, so as to provide guided training in the area of cybersecurity. He added that the initiative is meant to ensure the country has enough qualified and market-ready security operation centre (SOC) analysts, pen-testers and cybersecurity champions with the requisite skills to support the industry.
He commended the CSA for their hard work in regulating the industry, and called on all to support the regulator on creating and sustaining an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.
