Admittedly, there are still not many institutions offering
high quality cybersecurity courses in Kenya.
But we have a few colleges doing an exemplary job training
the next generation of cybersecurity engineers.
These are our focus on this article plus the cybersecurity
courses they currently offer.
Cybersecurity courses in Kenya and the colleges to check
out
Here are the best cybersecurity courses in Kenya.
Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
This is one of the foremost cybersecurity certification in
the industry and a must-have for anyone aspiring to build a career in IT
security.
The course covers 19 of the most critical security domains
that any ethical hacker should be familiar with when setting up an
organization’s information security system and is tested by the EC
council(International Council of Electronic Commerce Consultants), a global
leader when it comes to Cyber Security education.
You have to pass EC-Council’s demanding Certified Ethical
Hacker exam to get the certificate.
Duration of study
6-9 months
Requirements
The course is open but you need to have a thorough
understanding of computer networking, a bit of coding, and information security
theory.
Where to take the certified ethical hacker course in
Kenya
1. Computer pride learning
centre, JKUAT Tower, Nairobi, along Kenyatta Avenue. Call 0705 900 900
or email: info@computer-pride.co.ke
2. AFRALTI (African Advanced
Level Telecommunications Institute), Waiyaki Way, next to Nairobi
Water Company. Call 0710-207061 or email: info@afralti.org
3. iLabAfrica, Strathmore
University, Makadara, Nairobi Call:0711 416 998 or email: ilabitsecurity@strathmore.edu
How much does the certified ethical hacker course cost in
Kenya?
The course doesn’t come cheap and you have to cough up
between shs.50000-shs.70000 depending on the institution. Plus, you have to set
aside about $500 for the final exam.
Certified Information Security Manager(CISM)
CISM is highly valued in the Kenyan market and it can open
many doors for you in the future.
The course demonstrates you have the necessary knowledge and
experience to deploy super-effective security management services.
Indeed, those who earn the CISM certification join an elite
group of cybersecurity professionals who sit at the apex of information
security functions in both the private and public sectors.
It’s one of the best cybersecurity courses in Kenya for
those who harbor dreams of rising to head IT security teams in their firms.
The course is tested by ISACA (Information Systems Audit and
Control Association) and covers the following domains:
- Information
Security Governance
- Information
Risk Management
- Information
Security Programs Development
- Information
Security Programs Management
- Incident
Management & Response
Duration of study
9-12 months
Requirements
You must have at least 5 years of IT
security experience, 3 of which must have been at a management level.
Where to take the CISM course in Kenya
1. KCA University, Thika
Super Highway. Call 0710 888022 or email: callcentre@kca.ac.ke
2. Strathmore University
cybersecurity training department, Makadara, Nairobi Call:0711 416 998
or email: admissions@strathmore.edu
How much does the C.I.S.M course cost in Kenya?
The course will again cost you a pretty penny. For the exam,
you should budget Kshs 50,000+ while tuition can set you back
Kshs.60000-100000 on average.
CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor) course
We recommend CISA for the following individuals:
- IS
(information security) consultants
- IS
(information security) Security & Control professionals.
- Chief
IS (Information Systems) Officers
- CEOs
- Accountants
who wish to venture into systems security
- Information
Systems Auditors
- Internal
& External Auditors.
The technical skills, expertise and practices acquired in
the CISA program, tested by ISACA enable you to invent and establish controls
to counter various types of threats.
Duration of study
9-12 months
Requirements
Like CISM, you must have at least 5 years of IT
security experience, 3 of which must have been at a management level to
pursue CISA.
Where to take the CISA course in Kenya
1. KCA University, Thika
Super Highway. Call 0710 888022 or email: callcentre@kca.ac.ke
2. Strathmore University,
Makadara, Nairobi Call:0711 416 998 or email: admissions@strathmore.edu
How much does the C.I.S.A course cost in Kenya?
The course has a similar fee structure to CISM.
Budget Kshs 50,000+ for tests while tuition averages Kshs.60000-100000.
Certified Information Systems Security Professional
(CISSP)
The CISSP is another globally recognized cyber security
certification for those who desire to establish a career as an IT security
professional and is the first information security course to satisfy the tough
requirements of the ISO/IEC
Standard 17024.
CISSP training covers every area of ICT security and will
help you achieve your goal of becoming a top-rated information security
professional.
CISSP is recommended for individuals at the intermediate
stage of their careers including IT security consultants/managers, ICT
directors/managers, IS security auditors/architects, system security engineers,
CIOs, and more.
It’s examined by ISC2, an internationally
recognized not-for-profit operating in the IT security field.
Duration of study
40 hours (1-week crash program) in some colleges but can be
several months if you’re a part-time student.
Pre-requisite
5 years of ICT security experience (full time).
Where to take the CISSP course in Kenya
1. AFRALTI
(African-Advanced-Level-Telecommunications-Institute), Waiyaki Way,
next to the Nairobi Water Company. Call 0710-207061 or email: info@afralti.org
2. Techno Brain Training
Kenya (New Horizons), EcoBank Towers, Muindi Mbingu Street. Call 0733-600
316
How much does the C.I.S.S.P course cost in Kenya?
CISSP training costs Kshs.50000-100000 on average.
CCNA Security CISCO certification Kenya
A CCNA Security certification shows that you’re
more than a network professional and you can develop a
robust security infrastructure, recognize assorted threats and
vulnerabilities, and mitigate security threats too.
Overall, this is a nice addition for those who have
completed the CCNA certification at any of the cisco centres in Nairobi or
elsewhere in the country.
Duration of study
1 month.
Pre-requisite
CCNA
Where to take the CCNA Security course in Kenya
1. AFRALTI
(African-Advanced-Level-Telecommunications-Institute), Waiyaki Way,
next to the Nairobi Water Company. Call 0710-207061 or email: info@afralti.org
2. Techno Brain Training
Kenya (New Horizons), EcoBank Towers, Muindi Mbingu Street. Call 0733-600
316
3. Computer pride learning
centre, JKUAT Tower, Nairobi, along Kenyatta Avenue. Call 0705 900 900
or email: info@computer-pride.co.ke
4. Kenyatta university CISCO
Networking academy at the various campuses
5. JKUAT cybersecurity
training section.
How much does the CCNA Security course cost in
Kenya?
CISSP training costs Kshs.25000-50000.
Diploma in Cyber Security
Another course that can help you compete for cybersecurity
jobs in Kenya is the Diploma in Cyber security.
The problem is, no local college is accredited by the
government to deliver this program meaning you have to rely on foreign
accreditations.
But it’s not all gloom as a Kenyan institution, the
Institute of Software Technology(IST)
has partnered with the ATL Foundation to teach this course in Nairobi.
ATL is endorsed by the IADL (International Association for
Distance Learning) as well as the USDLA (United States Distance Learning
Association) so you’ll be getting a credible paper.
If that doesn’t sound like a deal, explore international
institutions like the Toronto
School of Management.
Needless to say, you need to have enough money if you choose
this path.
CompTIA Security+
This is a globally recognized ICT security
certification that validates your foundational skills and proves that you’re
competent enough to undertake core security functions in a firm.
It’s a good beginner course and perhaps the best starting
point for new students or other IT-staff interested in getting baseline skills
in computer security.
Here you need to pass the CompTIA Security+ exam to be
certified.
Be sure to combine it with advanced certifications like CISM
and CEH if you want to become attractive to employers.
Requirements
None, but you must have passed the CompTIA A+ and Network+
exams, or possess equivalent knowledge.
In addition, it’s preferred that you have about six-nine
months of practical experience in networking (especially in configuring
security parameters).
Duration of study
1-3 months
Where to take the CompTIA Security+ course in Kenya
Schools offering cyber security courses by CompTIA include:
1. Computer pride, JKUAT
Tower, Nairobi, along Kenyatta Avenue. Call 0705 900 900 or email: info@computer-pride.co.ke
2. Techno Brain Training
Kenya (New Horizons), EcoBank Towers, Muindi Mbingu Street. Call 0733-600
316
How much does the CompTIA Security+ course cost in
Kenya?
Fees vary but like most COMPTIA network security courses in
Kenya, it starts at shs.35000. Meanwhile, the exam fee is at the present set at
$339.
Masters in Computer Security in Kenya (masters in
cybersecurity in Kenya)
If you wish to advance your knowledge, consider taking the
masters in information security course at Strathmore University.
The masters in cyber security program is designed for
Penetration Testers, Chief Information Officers, Information Security
Architects, Network Security engineers, Incident Responders, and Forensic
Experts in the Defense forces, Police Service and private/public security
enterprises.
The cost may rise above shs.2 Million considering that it's
taught in partnership with a Spanish University and could involve spending time
in Spain.
Cybersecurity courses in Kenya [mostly for beginners]
Here are more non-specialized Cybersecurity courses in
Kenya.
These courses are ideal for those who want to gain general
knowledge about IT security practices and standards.
Note that these do not have a high demand among
cybersecurity firms in Kenya as some of those we reviewed above.
Digital Forensics Certification Kenya
This is a local cybersecurity course by the Kenya
cybersecurity forensics association and is best for those who want to
master digital forensics (preservation, identification, retrieval, and
documentation of computer-based evidence concerning cybercrimes).
The fee was shs.25000 last time I checked and the training
was running for 3 Saturdays.
Certified Secure Computer User(CSCU)
This again comes from the EC-Council and will educate you on
how to protect your information assets.
As mentioned earlier, this is a fundamental course for those
who want to learn how to detect diverse computer/network security threats like
credit card fraud, identity theft, virus and backdoors, phishing scams, email
hoaxes, and more.
Contact Computer Pride if you wish to take the course.
Cybersecurity courses in Kenya –Helpful organizations
Just like cryptography courses in Kenya, students pursuing
cybercrime courses should join professional organizations in this area.
This will help you meet industry leaders, network, and
possibly make connections that can help you secure a job soon after graduating.
Now, one of the first institutions to come to the mind is
KCSFA (Kenya
cybersecurity forensics association).
This brings together IT security experts in Kenya and can be
a good platform to interact with the gurus.
The other you should consider are:
Kenya professional society of criminology– This is a
non-partisan and nonprofit making organization bringing together
professionals actively engaged in Criminology including cybercrime.
ISACA Kenya- this is the association to be in if
you’re studying for an ISACA certification. You will meet mentors and a
supportive group of IT security pioneers in Kenya here.
Cybersecurity Internship in Kenya
Obviously, it’s critical that you attend internship in the
course of your studies or immediately you graduate.
It will help you hone your skills and even land a job if you
prove yourself during the industrial attachment period.
You should consider the following firms when searching for
cybersecurity internship in Kenya.
- Safaricom
- Ernest
and Young.
- Various
Banks in Kenya.
- National
Intelligence service(NIS).
- SACCOS
in Kenya.
Wrapping it up
There goes our list of recommended Cybersecurity courses in
Kenya.
As you have noted, we still don’t have a specialized degree
in cybersecurity in Kenya like it is the case in other nations.
For this reason, the best way to become a cybersecurity
expert in Kenya is by first enrolling for a Diploma or Degree in ICT (or
computer science) then registering for the certification courses we have
mentioned in this guide.
Specifically, you can target CompTIA Security+, CEH, and
CISA.
With these 3 plus a 3-6 month internship, you should be good
to go.
Of course, you can take up more programs if your budget and
time allow.
Note that the demand for cybersecurity experts is expected
to continue soaring across the globe as criminals become more clever meaning
that you have a great opportunity to make tons of money with the right skills.
Good luck.