Faculty of Computing and Informatics

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A Centralised Hadoop-Based Framework for Big Data Analytics in Prime Ministerial Offices: A Namibian Case Study
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2025-09-30) Haitamba, Pombili I.P.
Big Data is reshaping the way governments operate, influencing how decisions are made and services delivered. However, most governments, particularly in developing countries, face challenges in managing the growing volume of data generated across public institutions. These challenges can be attributed to a lack of expertise in handling complex and diverse datasets generated in high volume which are becoming difficult for traditional databases to manage. In Namibia, the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) plays a significant role in coordinating governance and public service administration. The OPM has a mandate to oversee Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the Public Service and promote e-governance initiatives, which involve the usage and handling of data. However, despite its central role, data from different government ministries remains fragmented, building up silos. This fragmentation limits the government's ability to extract value from the data, hinders coordination across ministries, and ultimately leads to poor service delivery. This study addressed the challenges of data fragmentation within the OPM. It explored the feasibility of designing a centralised database system using Hadoop to integrate and analyse big data across ministries, with the goal of improved administrative efficiency, enhanced public service delivery, and promoting e-governance. Synthetic datasets were generated in Mockaroo, to represent datasets from government ministries. A Hadoop-based setup was undertaken to simulate a centralised database framework integrating all government ministries’ data in Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS) for storage. A MapReduce job was run in Hadoop, using Java code for analyses across ministries, from Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security (MHAISS), Ministry of Labour (MoL), and Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture (MEAC). The job compared poverty indicators based on birth year, educational achievement, and employment status across the three ministries and aggregated the results for regional poverty analysis. The findings of this research show that Hadoop is a cost-effective, open-source framework that has the capabilities to store versatile datasets that currently exists within the Namibian public service into one centralised database that supports big data analysis. The processing layer of Hadoop, MapReduce was able to process a job in minutes that would normally take five to seven working days to complete in the OPMs current administration. Adopting this framework would enable the OPM to make informed decisions backed by evidence, eliminate inefficiencies in public service delivery, and enhance public trust through improved service delivery.
A MACHINE LEARNING-DRIVEN APPROACH FOR ACCIDENT PREDICTION AND TRAFFIC SAFETY ANALYSIS IN NAMIBIA
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2024-12) Ngolo, Maria
Globally, road traffic accidents contribute a large portion of injuries, fatalities, and significant economic losses and ongoing research has projected that by 2030, car crashes would be the 5th top reason for loss of life around the world. The key cause of traffic accidents is hard to determine nowadays because of a complex mix of factors, such as road conditions, weather conditions, and the mental condition of the drivers, to list a few. Without a thorough understanding of the characteristics and causes, intelligence-led countermeasures to decrease crashes cannot be created or implemented. Therefore, if traffic accident characteristics can be better understood, it might be easier to take some mitigative action. Nowadays, the utility of machine learning methods in the field of road traffic crashes is gaining traction. The objective of this dissertation is to analyse historical data for a five-year period (2018-2023) and to understand the patterns in accident occurrences by making use of machine learning methods. Machine learning models as such Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, K-Nearest Neighbours, Association Rule Algorithm (AARA), and k-Clustering were employed on the dataset. The Apriori Association Rule algorithm explored the rules with high lift and high support, respectively. The research shows that the Random Forest model is the reliable model in predicting crash severity, reaching an accuracy of approximately 81%. Factors such as junction type, poor road sign conditions, uncontrolled traffic, weather, lighting, road surface, vehicle type, and driver behaviours were identified as the significant variables influencing road accidents. Pedestrian, rollovers, and collision are the leading crash causes of the road accidents, and they are associated with uncontrolled traffic and daylight. Additionally, the research shows notable differences in accident rates by region, month, year, day of the week, and hour of the day, underscoring the impact of geographical features, seasonal trends, and commuting habits on accident rates. The findings indicate that high traffic volumes and urban congestion are the main causes of the greatest accident rates in metropolitan areas, especially in the Khomas Region of Namibia. Further, more accidents are happening more toward the weekend as compared to weekdays and during night hours.
AN EXAMINATION OF THE SAFETY AND WELFARE STRATEGIES OF PRINT JOURNALISTS REPORTING ON COVID-19 IN NAMIBIA
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2025-01) PAHEJA, SIRIRIKA.
The role of the media during a crisis cannot be over emphasised. During the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the media assumed a central position in sharing health information during this unprecedented time. In recognition of the significance of journalism, the Namibian government classified journalists as essential workers, allowing them to collaborate freely with healthcare workers during lockdowns. However, being frontline workers raised pertinent issues about the safety and welfare of journalists as they faced challenges, including job losses, mental health problems arising from poor psychosocial care and challenges of working in far-flung regions with meagre resources. Using a qualitative approach and the Protection Motivation Theory, this study examined the safety and welfare strategies employed by selected print journalists in Namibia while reporting on Covid-19. The study assessed selected Namibian print journalists’ perception of their vulnerability to Covid-19, the safety and welfare strategies employed during the COVID-19 pandemic and the effectiveness of the safety and welfare strategies employed when reporting during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Namibian, New Era and Namibian Sun newspapers participated in the study. The study found that journalists felt vulnerable, and experienced emotional and psychological challenges while reporting on Covid-19. The study further observed that various safety and welfare strategies were used by journalists. These included, among others, self-talk and introspection, innovation, escapism, institutional support and adapting and adhering to established health protocols. The study found that while basic support for journalists was provided, mental health support was notably absent despite its crucial role in ensuring that journalists work in a conducive environment. The study concluded that the lack of proper and adequate institutional support for journalists, particularly covering COVID-19 pandemic, compromised both their physical and emotional safety. This undermined their ability to perform their professional duties effectively.
Are the financial transactions conducted inside virtual environments truly anonymous? An experimental research from an Australian perspective.
(Emerald, 2012) Irwin, Angela S. M.; Slay, Jill; Choo, Raymond K.-K.; Liu, Lin
This paper examines the identity and payment method verification procedures implemented by a number of popular massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) and online financial service providers (OFSPs) to determine if the systems they currently have in place are sufficient to uncover the identities of those who may wish to use such environments to conduct money laundering or terrorism financing activity. The paper also investigates whether the payment instruments or methods used by account holders to place funds into their account(s) hinder or assist investigators to expose the real-world identity of the account holder. The paper then discusses whether it is feasible and/or desirable to introduce know your customer (KYC) and customer due diligence (CDD) legislation into virtual environments and illustrates an effective KYC approach which may assist MMOGs and OFSPs to correctly identify their account holders, should legislation be put in place.
ASSESSING THE ADAPTIVE CAPACITY OF SELECTED NAMIBIAN PRINT AND BROADCAST MEDIA IN RESPONSE TO CHANGES IN PRACTICE IMPOSED BY COVID-19
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2025-01) Lamyaa, Linus
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted the global media landscape, posing unprecedented challenges for journalists and media organisations. This study examines how media and journalists in Namibia responded to changes in journalism practices imposed by COVID-19. Using an exploratory research design and adopting a qualitative research approach, this study assessed changes to journalism practice as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, and how journalists and media organisations responded to the changes. Data was collected through in-depth interviews with journalists and media practitioners, from selected print and broadcast media, to understand their experiences and adaptations during the pandemic. Findings reveal that the Namibian media industry underwent substantial transformations, including a shift from traditional newsroom operations to remote and digital reporting. The study also found that misinformation was a major challenge, necessitating rigorous fact-checking and verification processes to maintain credibility and public trust. Financial constraints further exacerbated the difficulties, with many media organisations experiencing significant revenue losses, leading to salary cuts, job redundancies, and shifts in business models. Additionally, the pandemic took a toll on journalists' mental health, with many reporting stress and burnout due to increased workloads, job insecurity, and exposure to distressing news. Despite these challenges, journalists demonstrated resilience by embracing digital transformation, collaborative reporting, and innovative storytelling techniques. Alternative revenue streams, including digital subscriptions and external funding sustained media operations. The study concludes that while COVID-19 accelerated digital transformation and innovation in journalism, it also exposed vulnerabilities in financial sustainability and journalists’ well-being. Strengthening institutional support, investing in digital infrastructure, and implementing mental health initiatives are recommended to enhance media resilience in future crises. These findings contribute to the broader discourse on media adaptation in crisis situations.
Assessing The Efficacy of Artificial Intelligence Chatbots for Delivering Public Information: A Case Study of the “Being A Public Servant in Namibia - The Pocket Guide 2.0 Pocket Bot”
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2025-01-31) Nassauw, C.C.
The research evaluated the Namibian government's "Being a Public Servant in Namibia – The Pocket Guide 2.0 Pocket Bot" artificial intelligence chatbot which serves as a digital self-service tool for civil servants. The research aimed to determine whether the chatbot fulfils its intended purpose to deliver precise and easily accessible public information to its users. The research employed an exploratory qualitative case study methodology. Twenty civil servants including administrative staff, technical experts, and management personnel participated in semi-structured interviews to gather data. The interview data analysis through thematic methods showed that the users appreciated the chatbot because it provided quick access at all times. The users also highlighted three main concerns with the chatbot system which included its user interface design ,its natural language processing capabilities, and the accuracy of its policy-aligned information. Recommendations were drawn from the research findings for the purpose of improving the chatbot interface, expanding its subject matter coverage, enhancing its response speed, and accuracy to fulfil civil servants’ needs. The recommendations provide guidance to policymakers and government agencies for enhancing chatbot services, enabling them to deliver public information more efficiently while improving user satisfaction.
ASSESSING THE STRATEGIC ROLE OF INTERNAL COMMUNICATION AT THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS, IMMIGRATION, SAFETY AND SECURITY IN NAMIBIA
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2023-05-04) KADHIKWA, SAKEUS IITA.
Internal communication has long been the lifeblood of successfully and effectively managed organizations, especially when such communication is strategically managed. Though literature has established the benefits of internal communication, especially when it comes to employee engagement, commitment, and improved corporate reputation, research assessing the strategic role of internal communication in government departments is limited. The aim of the study was to assess the strategic role of internal communication at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security in Namibia. To achieve this objective, four secondary objectives were pursued. The first secondary objective focused on examining the challenges faced by the Department of Home Affairs and Immigration in implementing the internal communication strategy. The second objective focused on analyzing the impact of internal communication on service delivery, while the third focused on internal communication and employee morale. The last objective examined the alignment between internal communication and the department’s strategy. Data for the study were collected using a structured interview guide. Face-to-face online were conducted with a conveniently selected sample of 25 participants. The methodology that was employed was a qualitative research approach that followed a case study research design. Several challenges affecting the effective implementation of the internal communication strategy were identified. Furthermore, it was noted that participants had mixed views about the role of internal communication and service delivery, as well as its strategic role in the organization. Based on these findings, the study makes recommendations and suggestions for future research.
ASSESSING THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE PUBLIC RELATIONS PRACTICES OF THE GOVERNMENT INSTITUTION PENSION FUND (GIPF) OF NAMIBIA
(NAMIBIA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, 2022-01) KAPENDA, JAIRUS JULIUS
Social media have a significant role as a communication tool used by public relations practitioners in disseminating and sharing information as well as obtaining feedback from clients. When used effectively as a communication tool, social media can help address complaints, do market research to identify the needs of the clients and can help any organisation identify new market niches. Despite the essential role of social media, many organisations, including Government Institution Pension Fund (GIPF) Namibia are still not using social media to their maximum and are still opting for traditional methods of communication by the public relations practitioners. This study was conducted using a mixed-method approach. This study assessed the use of social media in public relations practices of the GIPF. The study adopted a quantitative approach, using a case study research design. The study population comprised GIPF staff members and clients. Hence, the sample consisted of 200 participants. A convenient sampling method was used to select a sample. A structured questionnaire with mixed questions collected both qualitative and quantitative data. The major findings of the study were that social media has a great impact on public relations practices and traditional social media platforms, notably Facebook, Instagram and Twitter remained popular. The recommendations were based on the research findings. Hence, the study recommends that various strategies can be used to enhance social media use and visibility. It was also recommended that public relations practitioners should be trained so that their awareness and use of social media is improved.
An attempt to merge local and technological paradigms in the digital representation of indigenous knowledge.
(IKTC, 2011) Kapuire, Gereon Koch; Blake, Edwin
Current technology trends and developments have hardly been informed by African indigenous and rural knowledge systems. Thus either substantial modifications are necessary in adapting technology to the requirements of indigenous knowledge systems or those systems are inadequately represented through technologies. This paper explores different options of organising video recorded indigenous knowledge in the pursuit of maintaining local communication patterns and practices. The evolutionary design of our indigenous knowledge management system is informed by a series of interactions and prototype evaluations with a pilot community in Eastern Namibia.
AN AUDIENCE ANALYSIS OF HOW THE YOUTH FACT-CHECK ‘FAKE NEWS’ CIRCULATED ON SOCIAL MEDIA IN OMBILI AND HOCHLAND PARK, NAMIBIA
(NAMIBIA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, 2021-07) HANGULA, RAFAEL. N
The proliferation of "fake news” have massive implications, especially at the times of elections. People who live in marginalised communities are the most exposed to fake news and least armed to decode coordinated information campaigns (information disorders). As a result, it may affect the practice of active citizenship by news consumers as their voting decisions may base on misconceptions. The net effect of this is that, their voting behaviours are done on the basis of highly distorted information whereby those who are most privileged are in a position to make voting decisions on the basis of truthful and credible information. This study explored how the youth in Namibia fact-checked news and information circulated on social media platforms during the 2019 electoral campaign. Firstly, it examined the major forms or types of fake news produced in Namibia before, during and soon after the elections. Secondly, it examined the criteria used by the youth in Ombili and Hochland Park to determine the truthfulness and accuracy of news and information. Thirdly, it assessed the newsworthy factors that the youth in Ombili and Hochland Park consider before sharing news on social media. This research employed virtual ethnography, qualitative content analysis,to understand, and document the types of fake news produced, and circulated in Namibia. Focus Groups Discussions (FGDs), and face-to-face interviews were then employed to get a sense of how young people sift through fake news. Grounded in Hall’s Encoding and Decoding model, fabricated contents, manipulated contents, misleading contents, conspiracy theories and imposter contents were observed in 2019 elections. The study revealed that there was systematic abuse of mainstream brands to spread information disorders to confuse and disorient voters. In addition, these types of fake news were fueled by the poor coordination, and delays in communication from the Electoral Commission. Most of the fake news were aimed at discrediting and casting aspersions on the candidature of Dr Hage Geingob of the Swapo Party, and Dr Panduleni Itula, who was an Independent Candidate at the time. This study found that young citizens’ ability to decode fake news is influenced by the level of education, literacy skills, class differences and media exposure as pointed out by Hall’s theory. Therefore, this study would add that availability of resources to fact check online news and information and political affiliation are also key in fighting fake news. The study recommends that government should ensure that its citizens have access to quality information through tasked institutions, to avoid fabrications, and distribution of information disorders, and provide a room for media and digital literacy campaigns in order to enhance skills of citizens of deconstructing coordinated information disorders, especially on social media platforms. News consumers need to embrace the concept fact checking before agreeing, and distributing information from social media as this would protect them from making decisions that are based on misconceptions, which could affect others.
AUTOMATED FRAUD DETECTION IN NAMIBIA’S PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS' FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS USING MACHINE LEARNING: A DEEP LEARNING APPROACH
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2024-12) Johannes, Pandeni Paavo
Financial fraud continues to be a significant concern in public-sector financial operations, undermining the credibility of financial statements and eroding public trust. Traditional methods used by financial experts, such as auditing, are frequently ineffective in addressing the growing complexity of fraudulent activities and effectively mitigating associated risks. This study aimed to tackle this issue by creating an automated fraud detection system based on deep learning designed for Namibia's public sector financial transactions. The Ministry of Finance provided the primary data for the study through the Office of the Auditor-General, which included accounts payable records from public entities with large transaction volumes for the fiscal years 2021/2022 and 2022/2023. The task of fraud detection is framed as a classification problem. The study explored three common deep learning models: Autoencoders, Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN) and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN). These models' performance was evaluated using historical and simulated financial data, focusing on accuracy, inference time, and resource utilisation. A comparative analysis revealed that the CNN model performed exceptionally well, with the highest accuracy (0.95), F1-score (0.98), and lowest false positive rate (0.038). In contrast, the GAN model excelled in inference time (7.17 ms per transaction) and precision (0.99). This study proposes a scalable, data-driven approach to improving fraud detection in large public-sector financial datasets, thereby increasing accountability in Namibia's public financial systems.
A Bio-Immunology Inspired Security Model to Defend Industrial Control Systems from Advanced Persistent Threats
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2019-01) Chitauro, Mercy
Industrial Control Systems (ICS) control critical industrial processes. For example, there are ICS networks that control electricity, water distribution, food, and pharmaceutical and beverage production. Historically, ICS networks were safe from network attacks because they were not interconnected to business Information Technology (IT) networks and the Internet. However, with the passage of time, ICS were interconnected to business networks. Because traditional IT networks are built on the TCP/IP suite, ICS became susceptible to network attacks that already existed in TCP/IP networks and to ICS specific attacks. Successful attacks in ICS networks may compromise the ICS infrastructure, system configurations and components. ICS security standards and frameworks were drafted and approved by different organisations for use in the implementation of ICS security. ICS can be secured using these standards or any other means as recommended by ICS security experts. Even though ICS are secured using these recommended methods, they are still being successfully attacked by Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs). APTs are targeted attacks which are successful because they do not attack any system that they might be in but become active in only those systems they were designed for. APTs have the ability to circumvent available security control and regular intrusion detection systems, and in addition, antiviruses are not able to detect APTs. There is no known technique available to identify APTs that attack ICS because APTs are discovered after they have been in the system for some time and usually only after they have executed their payload. Subsequently, this means that present ICS security implementations are not capable of defending ICS when they are attacked by APTs. By design, ICS security systems should be capable of defending ICS components from any attacks. They are likened to the biological immune system which is responsible for detecting and protecting the biological body from harmful microorganisms. The biological immune system’s most crucial function is that of preventing infections and eradicating already established
Can IK be communicated through foreign languages without losing its authenticity?
(IKTC2011, 2011) Muyingi, Hippolyte N.
In this paper, we present an open issue for panel discussion on the relation between the language of knowledge transfer and the contextual and peculiar nature of indigenous, traditional or local Knowledge itself. We highlight intriguing opinions from language education experts, linguistics researchers and other stakeholders, that raise a number of concerns to be considered at this early stage of research development in indigenous knowledge technology. If language is entwined with the knowledge system itself can IK then ever be transferred across languages? In other words does IK lose its authenticity and values through translations and foreign language media?
CO-DESIGNING A CYBERSECURITY PRACTICES FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSERVED RURAL COMMUNITIES
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2024-06-30) Nhinda, Gabriel Tuhafeni
The increasing ubiquity of digital technologies and the Internet has resulted in societies becoming heavily dependent on them for communication, healthcare, education, business operations, and social interaction. While digital transformation promises many benefits, it also presents significant challenges, particularly in ensuring safe and secure online participation. Cybersecurity, as a critical enabler of digital trust, is essential for inclusive and resilient digital societies. However, in underserved rural communities, especially in the Global South, cybersecurity practices remain largely unfamiliar due to limited telecommunications infrastructure, socio-economic inequality, and low digital literacy. This study addresses this gap by co-designing a cybersecurity practices framework with and for underserved rural communities. Rooted in a multidisciplinary approach, the research integrates elements of human-computer interaction (HCI), community engagement, and behavioural insights. A qualitative methodology was employed, using co-design sessions, focus group discussions, and interviews, to understand community-specific perceptions and practices of cybersecurity. The study draws on indigenous philosophies of Ubuntu and Uushiindaism to contextualise security as a communal, ethical, and relational construct. The framework was evaluated through a two-pronged process: expert focus groups (ex-post) and community-based co-design sessions (exante and ex-post). Evaluation centred on ecological utility—ensuring contextual relevance, cultural fidelity, sustainability, comprehensibility, and local ownership. The study further maps key actors and relationships influencing cybersecurity practices in rural contexts, including interactions with national agencies, community policing units, local radio, and ministries responsible for awareness and legislation. This research contributes to a more inclusive understanding of cybersecurity by recognising the socio-cultural dynamics that shape digital safety in underserved communities. It bridges the gap between globally dominant cybersecurity paradigms and the lived realities of rural African users. The framework empowers communities to engage confidently with technology, facilitates digital access to essential services, promotes skills transfer through seasonal resident engagement, and supports the preservation of indigenous languages. For policymakers, developers, and educators, it offers actionable insights into designing secure, contextually appropriate technologies for the margins while ensuring broader applicability across user groups.
Customer support design considerations for an information system. Paper presented at the 1st Namibia Customer Service Awards & Conference, 2014.
(NUST, 2014) Lazarus, Victoria; Nggada, Shawulu Hunira; Dheedan, Amer
The efficiency of an information system could be traced to its design. Typically, information systems are designed with immense focus on the business logic and direct users of such systems, and not the customers who may be the indirect users of the system. The problem associated with such design is that it is not customer inclusive and this deficiency would over time lead to customer dissatisfaction. In safety-critical systems, the users and customers are both taken into account while designing the system. This practice is less pronounced in the design of information systems. This paper identifies the similarities and dissimilarities between a user and a customer, investigates an approach to designing information systems that supports the needs of customers and finally develops an architectural framework in line with a customer-centred design for an information system.
Demonstration of a cultural indigenous knowledge transfer prototype
(IKTC, 2011) Rodil, Kasper; Eskildsen, Søren; Rehm, Matthias
We present our prototype 3D visualization that enables people to place video recordings of their traditional knowledge. We demonstrate the process of developing and evaluating the prototype. We show how our prototype might combat a cultural gap between youths and elders and also hope to ignite ideas about how such a system can be used rurally and how further testing can be optimized to avoid a cultural gap in the test methods.
Design of a Model for Augmenting Digital Forensics into Information System Audit in The Financial Sector
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2024-09) Iipumbu, Ericky
Audits of information systems demonstrate whether IT controls are effective in protecting company property, ensuring data integrity, and aligning with the organisation's overarching objectives. Information System auditors evaluate all components of financial and business controls, including information technology systems and physical and logical security protocols. As long as cyberattacks continue to occur in the financial sector, it is increasingly important to take robust measures to ensure the integrity and security of information systems. New models that incorporate digital forensics methods into the audit process have emerged as a result of the fact that traditional audit processes frequently fail to meet evolving objectives. Based on the findings of a systematic literature review that demonstrated that the evidence-gathering techniques employed in information system audits are inadequate for assessing the efficacy of internal controls, this study proposes a model that integrates digital forensics into information system auditing that was designed using Design Science Research techniques. The model is envisaged to improve the information system auditing process by augmenting digital forensics processes into information system auditing. The model incorporates key digital forensic components embedded into audit procedures to enhance the accuracy and reliability of evidence collection, ensure the integrity and authenticity of digital evidence, and facilitate a more detailed analysis of audit data. The inclusion of these digital forensic techniques is essential for addressing complex cyber threats and fraud within the financial sector, providing auditors with robust tools to conduct more thorough and defensible investigations, and ensuring compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements. In summary, the proposed approach offers a structured approach to the integration of digital forensic methodologies into the auditing process and establishes guidelines, in a manner that ensures audit opinions for information systems auditors are unqualified rather than qualified and disclaimer.
Designing A Blockchain Layer in Smart Grid Edge Iot Devices to Enhance Data Security
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2024-07-19) Iindombo, Sakaria Amakali.
A smart grid is an electricity network that uses digital technologies to minimize cost and maximize system scalability to meet the demands of end users. It is a bidirectional system that enables various renewable sources to produce clean energy to the grid, unlike the conventional grid. The smart grid is made up of interconnected edge IoT devices to provide real-time data and monitor the network in enabling data driven decision-making. Studies indicate that by 2025, there will be 75.44 billion connected devices due to the rise in the deployment of edge IoT devices. Given the current increase of edge IoT devices, data security concerns have arisen, exposing the grid to a wide range of attacks. Most of the edge IoT devices are deployed geographically dispersed, which makes management challenging. They are also built with limited system capabilities and lack of security considerations in their design. This study focused on the three most severe threats against smart grid edge IoT devices which are denial-of-service attacks, unsecure protocols, and firmware exploits as identified by a systematic literature review. The study aimed to design a blockchain layer that could enhance data security in edge IoT devices, using purified lightweight security protocols namely, ACL’s, SSL/TLS and RBAC. Hyperledger Fabric blockchain layer was selected for its suitability in distributed edge computing due to its modular architecture, robust security features, and scalability. The study used a systematic literature review to investigate threats, analyze current deployment of blockchain layers, and to select lightweight security protocols to enhance the Hyperledger Fabric. An experiment was conducted by simulating the effects of attacks on the edge IoT smart grid, both before and after lightweight security protocols were applied on the blockchain layer. In each experiment, three types of attacks were conducted: denial-of-service, packet sniffing and firmware exploit. The results of the experiments show that without lightweight security protocols on the blockchain layer increased latency, packet loss, user credentials being transmitted in plaintext and success of firmware exploitation is experienced. Results from experiments after lightweight security protocols were applied on the blockchain layer, show a reduction of malicious traffic success, encrypted user credentials, and unsuccessful firmware exploit. As a result, the study recommends employing lightweight security protocols in the blockchain to ensure data integrity, confidentiality and availability. This will be useful to reduce computational burden, allowing edge IoT devices to operate more efficiently. In turn, this study iii provides valuable insights for electricity service providers on effectively managing edge IoT devices in the smart grid and to promote renewable energy adoption. Ultimately, safeguarding the smart grid's data security to ensure human safety.
DESIGNING A BRING YOUR OWN DEVICE SECURITY AWARENESS MODEL FOR MOBILE DEVICE USERS IN NAMIBIAN ENTERPRISES
(NAMIBIA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, 2023-05-30) Shihepo, Ester
The phrase Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) also known as Dual-Use Devices is a mutual practice which has increased employees’ access to new mobile technologies and a rising trend within many organisations. The concept refers to employers allowing their employees to bring their personal mobile devices to workplaces and use them as their workstations. Enterprises are enjoying the benefits of BYOD, which allows them to cut operational costs as they do not need to purchase computers for their employees. Employees are enjoying the comfort and convenience offered by BYOD; however, this exposes organisations to security breaches. There is currently a lack of security awareness among mobile device users within enterprises against BYOD cyber threats. The situation has made it difficult for organisations to monitor the usage of resources among the mobile users towards protecting the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of corporate data. Moreover, cyber attackers see more potential with mobile devices as company and personal data get mixed up on such devices. Although the BYOD concept has not been formally implemented within the enterprise, it does not mean that the enterprise data is not prone to attackers. This study presents a BYOD Security Awareness Model designed following Design Science Research methods based on findings of a single case study conducted in one of the enterprises in Windhoek, Namibia. Qualitative research following the interpretivism philosophy was used. To select participants, purposeful random sampling method was used for this study. Data was collected using interviews, a questionnaire and through literature review. Furthermore, the study implemented the qualitative content analysis as the data analysis technique. The study identified malware and network spoofing as some of the BYOD related threats affecting the case enterprise. The researcher observed lack of end user awareness on BYOD security as a cause of BYOD related security threats. The study identified four main components of the model namely: BYOD threats, security awareness, policy and access control. The BYOD security awareness model will be a guideline to Namibian enterprises in creating BYOD security awareness among their mobile devices with the aim to safeguard the organisational data. Furthermore, the findings will also contribute to the new technology horizon of Namibia’s future BYOD security awareness by motivating enterprises to implement mechanisms that will protect the enterprise confidential information. Since Namibia is reported as one of the least ranked countries in Africa in terms of cyber security, the model is a guideline on how enterprises can create BYOD security awareness among users within their enterprises and improve their security posture as well as that of the nation. Additionally, the model will also contribute to the BYOD security awareness knowledge to researchers and practitioners through conference papers and thesis publication.
DESIGNING A CLOUD BASED ELEARNING IMPLEMENTATION MODEL FOR HIGHER AND TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN NAMIBIA
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2017-02) Chitauro, Shadreck
Main stream academic institutions are aiming to improve from past trends and venturing into new emerging technologies for quality delivery of teaching and learning. One of these trends that enhance teaching and learning is termed eLearning. ELearning is when teaching and learning is facilitated through the use of information communication technologies. ELearning is highly popular because it is flexible, it supports self-paced learning, and learners can access learning material anywhere, anytime and in the absence of the instructor. The problem with eLearning is that of managing data, ensuring security, limited server space, infrastructure sourcing and expensive maintenance. In addition to these problems, most academic institutions in the developing world are unable to fully finance eLearning systems and the skills for the support of these systems. Higher and tertiary institutions in Namibia which also use eLearning in their day to day teaching and learning activities are faced with slow bandwidth challenges. However, cloud computing can ease the financial burdens and reduce support issues brought about by lack of information technology skills and infrastructure. A qualitative case study at one Namibian tertiary institution was used in which interviews and experiments were used to obtain data. ELearning administrators at the case site were interviewed and it was established that at this tertiary institution the eLearning system also experiences infrastructure problems, support issues due to lack of expertise and insufficient human resources. In addition, their eLearning server reduces performance as the number of concurrent users connecting to it increases. Thus, migrating to a public cloud would solve most of these issues but there was no concrete plan as to how to migrate to cloud. Consequently, this research used design science research to design a cloud based implementation model for higher and tertiary institutions in Namibia so that academic institutions can seamlessly migrate to cloud. An experimental cloud was setup using a cloud based implementation model. The results of the experiment proved that the biggest challenge being faced by this tertiary institution’s eLearning server can be overcome. One of the challenges that could be solved is that the server is slow due to the ratio of RAM on the server, which is not proportionally adequate to the number of users. Most eLearning technical challenges and technical support challenges were solved. The use of cloud computing was proposed as a solution to these challenges.

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