Cybersecurity and digital privacy company Kaspersky and AFRIPOL, the African Union’s dedicated police cooperation body, have signed a cooperation agreement focused on preventing and fighting cybercrime.
Covering a period of five years, the document formalises and facilitates cooperation between the company and the law enforcement agency in sharing threat intelligence data on the latest cybercriminal activities.
As Kaspersky points out, the landscape of cyberthreats in Africa has constantly been evolving, with the continent having been especially susceptible to industrial threats. In particular, it says, the region has the highest share of industrial control systems (ICS) computers on which malicious objects were blocked by Kaspersky solutions, compared to other regions.
Kaspersky adds that Africa’s vigorous cyberthreat environment therefore requires enhanced collaboration of the parties concerned to safeguard against potential risks.
There does appear to be an existing relationship between the two organisations, but this latest agreement provides for enhanced data exchange on cyberthreats and cybercrime trends, with Kaspersky handing over such data to AFRIPOL for further criminal intelligence analysis by the organisation. Another aspect of the collaboration includes the provision of assistance, know-how and technical knowledge in information security analysis by Kaspersky’s experienced teams of experts.
Kaspersky and AFRIPOL have a long record of joint cooperation projects. The two organisations have been active contributors to the assessment of the African threat landscape, while also being active participants in a number of actions led by the International Criminal Police Organisation – INTERPOL – to disrupt cybercrime on the African continent.
