Growing cybersecurity maturity for The University of Cape Town (UCT)

South Africa

Challenge

The University of Cape Town (UCT) provides cyber incident response as a part of its IT services. However, the organization has a greater ambition of paying more attention to cyber incident detection and response, including its performance. In addition, as the top rated higher education institution on the African continent, UCT has an objective to act as a leader in information and cybersecurity culture within the higher education sector by assisting other education institutions on their cybersecurity journey. To achieve these goals, it is required to setup and structure the UCT Computer Security Incident Response Team’s (CSIRT) governance, operational framework, assess and identify UCT’s cybersecurity maturity and improvement opportunities.

Solution

To enhance UCT’s cyber security maturity, NRD Cyber Security will assist the institution in maturing the existing Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT). The project is expected to deliver the following: Clarified and adjusted CSIRT services model according to the requirements of constituency as per best international practices, including written mandate, and prepared operational CSIRT services framework.

Also, part of the solution will be the introduction to and attaining membership of a CSIRT community (becoming member of the FIRST.Org association), which will enable the team to be closer to the latest news and tendencies in the international cybersecurity environment.

Lastly, SOC technology and operations maturity assessment with actionable roadmap to achieve effective and desired state of technology, services/processes, and skills of internal staff, including the issued associate certificate of maturity, will be performed.