Prof Elmarie Kritzinger from the School of Computing recently visited Oxford University to establish a collaborative research project with the Global Cyber Security Capacity Centre (GCSCC). The GCSCC is a leading international centre for research on efficient and effective cyber security capacity-building, promoting an increase in the scale, pace, quality and impact of cyber security capacity-building initiatives across the world. It has created a first-of-its-kind model to review cyber security capacity maturity across five areas, or dimensions, which aims to enable nations to self-assess, benchmark, better plan investments and national cybersecurity strategies and set priorities for capacity development.

This joint research project will produce research on improving cyber security and safety among cyber users by means of a comparison study between South Africa and the UK. It focuses mainly on improving cyber security awareness among end-users and school learners. The aim of the project is to publish research that can assist governments and schools in creating and growing a cyber safety culture within South Africa. It is vital that all cyber users (adults and school learners) understand the cyber risk connected to cyberspace. Only if cyber users are educated and aware can they protect themselves and their information.

The School of Computing also has an established community engagement project that promotes cyber safety of school learners and end-users. The project focuses on providing communities with relevant awareness and tools to ensure that cyber users are cyber safe.

*By Elmarie Kritzinger