As part of a joint initiative with Afripol, Kaspersky provided cybersecurity training courses for law enforcement representatives from 23 African countries, unfolding the fundamentals of security operations centre (SOC) activities and advanced threat-hunting techniques.

As cyberthreats continue to grow in scale and complexity, strengthening the technical capabilities of law enforcement agencies has become an important priority worldwide.

Through knowledge-sharing programmes, technology companies can contribute practical expertise gained from real-world cyber investigations and threat analysis. Such collaboration helps equip law enforcement professionals with the skills and tools needed to investigate digital crimes more effectively and strengthen cybersecurity capabilities.

From November 2025 to March 2026, around 40 African officers from 23 countries† received “security operations and threat hunting” training, provided as part of the cooperation agreement between Kaspersky and Afripol signed in 2024.

During the training, African officers gained practical knowledge of SOC activities and modern cyber defence practices. The programme covered key aspects of threat detection and incident investigation, including how to identify malicious activity in Windows and Linux environments, analyse attacker tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs), and use threat intelligence to uncover advanced threats.

Deeper understanding

As part of the training, a series of online Q&A sessions were organised, providing participants with the opportunity to engage directly with experts and course authors from Kaspersky’s security services team. These sessions allowed attendees to clarify complex topics, discuss practical cases and receive additional insights, reinforcing the learning experience and ensuring a deeper understanding of key cybersecurity concepts.

“Cybercrime today is highly sophisticated, borderless and constantly evolving, which means no single organisation can tackle it alone. This is why cooperation and knowledge sharing between the private cybersecurity sector and law enforcement agencies are so critical. Our long-standing collaboration with Afripol demonstrates the value of this approach,” said Yuliya Shlychkova, vice president of public affairs at Kaspersky.

“Over the years, Kaspersky and Afripol have worked together to better understand the cyberthreat landscape across Africa and to support international efforts aimed at disrupting cybercrime. By continuing to invest in training and capacity building, we aim to support law enforcement professionals with the expertise they need to investigate digital crimes effectively and contribute to building a safer and more trusted digital environment for everyone.”

Mohammed Benaired, head of training and capacity building at Afripol, said: “Strengthening the capabilities of law enforcement agencies is essential to effectively address the growing complexity of cybercrime across the African continent. Initiatives such as this training programme play an important role in equipping officers with the practical skills needed to investigate cyber incidents, analyse digital evidence and respond to emerging threats.

“Cooperation with partners from the private cybersecurity sector, including Kaspersky, helps law enforcement agencies stay informed about the latest threat trends and investigative approaches. We highly value this collaboration and the opportunity it creates to further develop the cybercrime response capabilities of Afripol member countries,” Benaired said.

Advanced skills

In 2024, to further enhance global efforts to combat cyber offences, Kaspersky and Afripol signed a cooperation agreement in 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 and entails the provision of assistance and know-how in information security analysis.

Kaspersky Expert Training is used by numerous organisations and academic institutions to advance their skills in battling against cybercrime. Since the inception of this online training programme, Kaspersky experts have trained more than 3 000 specialists from 50 countries around the world. Providing their expertise with 12 educational courses, they share their insights on advanced tactics and strategies in reverse engineering, threat hunting, incident response and more – each divided by the level of students’ experience. Learn more at xtraining.kaspersky.com.

†Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Comoros, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, South Sudan, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe

About Afripol
Afripol, the African Union’s dedicated police cooperation body, plays a crucial role in strengthening collaboration among the police forces of AU member states to prevent and combat transnational organised crime, terrorism, cybercrime and emerging threats. Established through statutes endorsed by the Conference of AU Heads of State and Government in January 2017, Afripol empowers the police services of its 55-member states by enhancing their operational capabilities, promoting the exchange of critical resources and expertise and coordinating joint efforts to dismantle organised criminal networks across the continent. With a strategic focus on building resilience and fostering a unified approach to security, Afripol supports member states in responding effectively to interconnected cyber and criminal threats. Learn more at afripol.africa-union.org.

About Kaspersky
Kaspersky is a global cybersecurity and digital privacy company founded in 1997. With over a billion devices protected to date from emerging cyberthreats and targeted attacks, Kaspersky’s deep threat intelligence and security expertise is constantly transforming into innovative solutions and services to protect individuals, businesses, critical infrastructure and governments around the globe. The company’s comprehensive security portfolio includes leading digital life protection for personal devices, specialised security products and services for companies, and as “cyber immune” solutions to fight sophisticated and evolving digital threats. We help millions of individuals and nearly 200 000 corporate clients protect what matters most to them. Learn more at www.kaspersky.co.za.