Preparing for a digital future

CMU-Africa is developing context-aware security and privacy solutions for a more resilient African cyberspace. Faculty and students are focused on identifying and addressing serious cybersecurity challenges to national security, commercial performance, and public safety—all in an African context.

Through education, research, and community outreach, CMU-Africa is also working to spread awareness about trusted technology and build cybersecurity capacity in Africa.

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Cybersecurity research focuses

  • Assessing Africa cybersecurity preparedness
  • Cybersecurity for financial inclusion
  • Privacy-preserving information sharing
  • Secure digital infrastructures: Digital ID, Digital Payment
  • Security and privacy in low-resource environments (limited computation, limited connectivity, limited storage, and limited literacy)
  • Secure digitizing of physical assets

Learn why cybersecurity is essential for the digital transformation of Africa

Watch more videos about cybersecurity at CMU-Africa

Cybersecurity projects at CMU-Africa

  • student at computer

    picoCTF-Africa

    picoCTF-Africa is a free computer security competition for students across the African continent, created by security and privacy experts at Carnegie Mellon University Africa.

    With the development of picoCTF-Africa, CyLab-Africa aims to address the need for capacity development in the field of cybersecurity, for Africa’s unique and fragile digital environment. By participating in picoCTF-Africa, students walk away with an understanding of cybersecurity skills and knowledge in reverse engineering, forensics, web security, cryptography, and critical thinking—skills that are needed in the security industry.

    Faculty involved: Assane Gueye

    Learn more about picoCTF

  • map with lock on top

    Building cybersecurity awareness in high schools

    This project targets high school teachers. It starts with conducting a ToT (training of trainers) program. The direct expected outcome is creating cybersecurity clubs with high school students.

    Faculty involved: Emmanuel Ndashimye, Assane Gueye, and Jema David Ndibwile

  • student at school

    Cybersecurity mobile game

    This project involves creating an African-themed cybersecurity mobile game, aimed at high school students. Developed in the African context, it will consider users' differences in culture and socioeconomic status. This educational game will teach teenagers how to prevent themselves from phishing attacks.

    Faculty involved: Jema David Ndibwile in collaboration with the Nelson Mandela Africa Institution of Science and Technology

  • Hand with phone and money

    Detecting and classifying mobile money fraud

    A machine learning-based approach for classifying and detecting Swahili smishing SMS intended for mobile money consumers.

    Faculty involved: Jema David Ndibwile in collaboration with the Nelson Mandela Africa Institution of Science and Technology

  • computer with code

    AI-based solutions for detecting advanced cyber attacks

    Faculty involved: Jema David Ndibwile in collaboration with the Nelson Mandela Africa Institution of Science and Technology

    • CyLab-Africa

    A collaboration between CyLab Security and Privacy Institute and CMU-Africa

    Learn more about CyLab-Africa

    Related News

    CMU faculty selected for UN-led working group on DPI safeguards

    Assane Gueye and Giulia Fanti have been selected by the United Nations Office of the Secretary-General Envoy on Technology to be part of a working group for the DPI Safeguards initiative.

    Students from across the globe are gearing up for the 11th annual picoCTF capture-the-flag competition Opens in new window

    picoCTF’s 11th annual capture-the-flag hacking competition for middle school, high school, and college students will take place from March 12 through March 26. Students interested in participating can register now by signing up for a free account at picoctf.org.

    Understanding the security of mobile apps in Africa

    Researchers from CyLab-Africa and the Upanzi Network recently partnered with the mobile security provider Approov to explore the security of common financial services apps used across Africa.

    Stakeholder collaboration in Rwanda’s digital transformation

    CyLab-Africa and the Upanzi Network, AfricaNenda, and Rwanda Information Society Authority jointly hosted a digital public infrastructure and digital public goods stakeholder engagement workshop. This workshop served as a catalyst for collaborative efforts aimed at advancing Rwanda’s digital transformation.

    How a CMU-Africa student combines cybersecurity, leadership, and community

    With support from the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, Ines Ituze Agasaro (MSIT ’24) uses leadership skills to impact the cybersecurity field and her community.

    Op-Ed: Building digital infrastructure for Africa, by Africa

    Co-director of the Upanzi Open Digital Technologies Network and CyLab-Africa shares how universities on the continent are well positioned to solve several key challenges on the path to a digital future.

    Five unique cybersecurity challenges in Africa

    CMU-Africa’s Assane Gueye has identified five cybersecurity challenges that Africa faces on the path to a digital future.

    picoCTF-Africa sees significant growth in competition’s second year

    In just its second year, the cybersecurity hacking competition saw over 1250 students, as the number of female participants doubled, and the number of high school participants increased by more than 365 percent. Additionally, four teams finished in the top 50 on picoCTF’s global leaderboard, demonstrating the initiative’s immediate impact.

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