M.Com. (Informatics) / Cyber issues are global phenomena in a world of inter-related systems, and as such, the discussion on cybersecurity frameworks, policies and strategies inevitably requires reference to, and benchmarking with regional, continental and global trends and solutions. This, in the context of the effects of globalisation on developing countries, with specific reference to areas such as Africa as a developing continent with regard to the protection of its cyberspace. More drastic measures, such as the utilization of cyber warfare techniques and pre-emptive cyber strike-teams in addition to traditional cybersecurity mechanisms as an essential part of a national security effort to protect cyberspace has become more prevalent within the developed worlds. Likewise, developing nations need to gear themselves in a structured, coordinated and responsible way in order to do their part to secure their own environments. Cyberspace is a dynamic global environment with cyber related issues being a global concern. Although countries generally regulate their own cyber environment through policy; cross-border cyber issues are difficult to resolve and the lack of international cyber laws impede cybersecurity efforts. Cybercrime and the management of cross-border cyber incidents are becoming a growing national security concern as the lack of effective controls leave critical infrastructure and the cyber-connected environment vulnerable to attack. Some developing countries are on track with the maturity of their cybersecurity initiatives, but appropriate cybersecurity frameworks for many developing countries require careful consideration, especially due to the lack of resources, infrastructure and local technology development capabilities.

Thesis (M.M. (Security))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Graduate School of Public and Development Management, 2016 / Technological advancement have seen South African government departments, state owned entities and private companies using cyberspace as a platform of interaction and the storage of information. Technological advancements have a positive impact due to the compression of space, time and thereby ensuring fastpaced interaction across borders. These technological advancements have, however resulted in most organisations, both private and public, becoming prone to cybercrimes and related incidents. In an initiative aimed at countering these threats, the South African government has passed various laws. The National Cybersecurity Policy Framework (NCPF) is a South African Policy framework aimed at countering an increase in the occurrence of cybercrimes and related incidents. This research analyses the status in the implementation of the NCPF objectives allocated to the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services (DTPS). Then the barriers in the Implementation are unpacked guided by the literature reviewed and finally recommendations on how to counter the identified barriers are provided post the data collection. The report firstly provides an outline of the global perspectives on cybersecurity which is followed by the regional cybersecurity measures, and then the national cybersecurity measures proposed by the South African Government department are outlined. The latter parts of the report focuses on the NCPF in terms of its scope, goals, objectives and stakeholders. Finally, focus is shifted to the DTPS as a chosen area of research wherein data was collected in a form of one-on-one, semi-structured interviews with relevant parties. The results of this research are presented as a narrative description that is synthesised to develop the theoretical conjecture and empirical generalisation of the entire research. This research uncovered that there are numerous barriers in the implementation of the NCPF both within the DTPS as well as between the DTPS and various stakeholders entrusted with the implementation responsibility. The last chapter consists of general conclusions made by the researcher based on the research conducted which is then followed by recommended countermeasures which will be communicated to the DTPS as well as all stakeholders who will be affected by the proposed recommendations. / GR2018

In modern society, cyberspace is interwoven into the daily lives of many. Cyberspace is increasingly redefining how people communicate as well as gain access to and share information. Technology has transformed the way the business world operates by introducing new ways of trading goods and services whilst bolstering traditional business methods. It has also altered the way nations govern. Thus individuals, organisations and nations are relying on this technology to perform significant functions. Alongside the positive innovations afforded by cyberspace, however, those who use it are exposed to a variety of risks. Cyberspace is beset by criminal activities such as cybercrime, fraud, identity theft to name but a few. Nonetheless, the negative impact of these cyber threats does not outweigh the advantages of cyberspace. In light of such threats, there is a call for all entities that reap the benefits of online services to institute cybersecurity. As such, cybersecurity is a necessity for individuals, organisations and nations alike. In practice, cybersecurity focuses on preventing and mitigating certain security risks that might compromise the security of relevant assets. For a long time, technology-centred measures have been deemed the most significant solution for mitigating such risks. However, after a legacy of unsuccessful technological efforts, it became clear that such solutions in isolation are insufficient to mitigate all cyber-related risks. This is mainly due to the role that humans play in the security process, that is, the human factor. In isolation, technology-centred measures tend to fail to counter the human factor because of the perception among many users that security measures are an obstacle and consequently a waste of time. This user perception can be credited to the perceived difficulty of the security measure, as well as apparent mistrust and misinterpretation of the measure. Hence, cybersecurity necessitates the development of a solution that encourages acceptable user behaviour in the reality of cyberspace. The cultivation of a cybersecurity culture is thus regarded as the best approach for addressing the human factors that weaken the cybersecurity chain. While the role of culture in pursuing cybersecurity is well appreciated, research focusing on defining and measuring cybersecurity culture is still in its infancy. Furthermore, studies have shown that there are no widely accepted key concepts that delimit a cybersecurity culture. However, the notion that such a culture is not well-delineated has not prevented national governments from pursuing a culture in which all citizens behave in a way that promotes cybersecurity. As a result, many countries now offer national cybersecurity campaigns to foster a culture of cybersecurity at a national level. South Africa is among the nations that have identified cultivating a culture of cybersecurity as a strategic priority. However, there is an apparent lack of a practical plan to cultivate such a cybersecurity culture in South Africa. Thus, this study sought firstly to confirm from the existing body of knowledge that cybersecurity culture is indeed ill-defined and, secondly, to delineate what constitutes a national cybersecurity culture. Finally, and primarily, it sought to devise a national strategy that would assist SA in fulfilling its objective of cultivating a culture of cybersecurity on a national level.

M. Tech. (Department of Information and Communication Technology, Faculty of Applied and Computer Sciences), Vaal University of Technology. / The computer networks of higher academic institutions play a significant role in the academic lives of students and staff in terms of offering them an environment for teaching and learning. These institutions have introduced several educational benefits such as the use of digital libraries, cluster computing, and support for distance learning. As a result, the use of networking technologies has improved the ability of students to acquire knowledge, thereby providing a supportive environment for teaching and learning. However, academic networks are constantly being attacked by viruses, worms, and the intent of malicious users to compromise perceived secured systems. Network security threats and cyber-attacks are significant challenges faced by higher academic institutions that may cause a negative impact on systems and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) resources. For example, the infiltration of viruses and worms into academic networks can destroy or corrupt data and by causing excessive network traffic, massive delays may be experienced. This weakens the ability of the institution to function properly, and results in prolonged downtime and the unavailability of Information Technology (IT) services. This research determines challenges faced by higher academic institutions, identifies the type of security measures used at higher academic institutions, and how network security could be addressed and improved to protect against network security threats and attacks. Two research approaches were adopted, namely a survey and an experiment. Survey questionnaires were distributed to IT technical staff at higher academic institutions in Gauteng province to determine the challenges they face in terms of securing their networks. It is crucial that network security takes on a prominent role when managing higher academic institutions‘ networks. The results of the study reveal several challenges such as budget constraints, inadequate security measures, lack of enforcing network security policies, and lack of penetration testing on systems and the network. The results also reveal that the implementation of security measures can and does address network security threats and attacks. It is therefore extremely important for higher academic institutions to implement proper security measures to help mitigate network security threats and attacks. The framework proposed is based on the results from the research study to help mitigate network security threats and attacks at higher academic institutions.