DCI Alerts Kenyans to Cyber Threats, Shares Tips for Securing Devices

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has called on Kenyans to enhance the security of their digital devices amid a rise in cyber threats targeting individuals and organisations.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the DCI warned that cybercriminals are exploiting vulnerabilities in digital systems to carry out crimes such as identity theft, online fraud, and data breaches. The agency emphasised that protecting data stored on computers and mobile devices is essential, noting that inadequate security measures can lead to financial losses and compromise both personal and institutional systems.

To reduce the risk of cyberattacks, the DCI recommended a series of steps for strengthening digital defences. For computer users, the agency advised implementing system hardening practices, including keeping operating systems and software up to date, enabling full-disk encryption, disabling unused applications and ports, and using standard user accounts instead of administrator profiles.

The statement also highlighted the need for a strong network and access controls. Users were urged to activate firewalls, such as Windows Defender Firewall, install intrusion prevention systems, and use Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) when connecting remotely. Enabling multifactor authentication (MFA) was described as a key measure to prevent unauthorised access.

To further limit exposure, the DCI advised separating critical systems from general-use computers. It also recommended deploying Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) or Extended Detection and Response (XDR) solutions to monitor activity and detect suspicious behaviour in real time. 

Additional guidance included using anti-malware software with live protection and maintaining regular system log backups. Regarding mobile security, the DCI noted that smartphones and tablets are increasingly targeted due to the sensitive information they store. 

Users were encouraged to install updates through official app stores, avoid jailbreaking or rooting their devices, disable developer options, and enable encryption and screen locks. Organisations were advised to implement Mobile Device Management (MDM) systems to enforce security policies such as strong passwords and data encryption.

These tools also allow devices to be locked, tracked, or wiped remotely if lost or stolen. In terms of application and network use, the DCI urged the public to download apps only from trusted sources and carefully review permission requests. 

The agency warned against using unsecured public Wi-Fi and recommended the use of VPNs and secure DNS protocols such as DNS over TLS (DoT) or DNS over HTTPS (DoH). Users should also disable automatic connections to open networks, which can be exploited by attackers.

The advisory concluded with a call to back up data regularly to encrypted cloud storage and enable remote wipe features like Android’s Find My Device or Apple’s Find My iPhone to reduce the impact of lost or stolen devices.