Uganda steps up ICT security

GOVERNMENT

The National Information Technology Authority – Uganda (NITA-U)’s Director for Information Security, Peter Kahiigi, has outlined Ugandan Government plans to step up national information security.

He was addressing a meeting of the Kampala Chapter of ISACA, the  worldwide association of IS professionals dedicated to the audit, control, and security of information systems.

Kahiigi said that the Government of Uganda, through NITA-U, in addition to setting up an Information Security Directorate has put a National Information Security Strategy in place.

It has also established UG-CERT in cooperation with UCC and ITU; the role of the UG-CERT is to ensure the protection of the nation’s Critical Information Infrastructures, assist in drafting the overall plan on the country’s approach to cyber security related issues, and thus can serve as a focal point for further building and implementing the National Culture of Cyber security.

The Government of Uganda plans to do the following among others;

1.    Implementation of Information Security Strategy

2.    Implementation of Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)

3.    Develop National IS Policy

4.    Set up roles and responsibilities in MDAs.

5.    Conduct IT Security and organisation

6.    Development of IS framework.

The meeting was attended by NITA-U Executive Director, James Saaka, representatives from ISACA, AH Consulting and other various IT professionals.