"Introduction to Cyber Security" Seminar

(Dakar, February 11-13, 2020) 

In collaboration with the Financial Technology Transfer Agency (ATTF) of the House of Training in Luxembourg, the West African Center for Banking Studies and Training (COFEB) organized a seminar entitled “Introduction to Cybersecurity” from February 11 to 13, 2020, at BCEAO headquarters in Dakar. 
The opening and closing ceremonies were presided over by Mr. Ousmane Samba Mamadou, General Manager of COFEB, in the presence of his advisor, Mrs. Aminata Haïdara.

The training session was facilitated by Mr. Jean-Hubert Antoine, an independent consultant, Head of Information Security at Grant Thornton and a Senior ATTF Trainer. It was attended by a total of twenty (20) participants, including fifteen (15) from WAEMU credit institutions and five (5) from the BCEAO. 

The objective of the seminar was to build the participants’ cybersecurity capacities and enable them to fulfil their mandates more efficiently in terms of data protection and protecting the integrity of their institutions. For three (3) days, the participants discussed various topics, including the typology of computer attacks, their motivations and modus operandi, risk detection and risk management, cyber security ethics and best practices, security infrastructure and controls, and how to respond to incidents. In addition, the participants had the opportunity to discuss real-life scenarios and reflect on the most appropriate strategies for strengthening cybersecurity, during a series of workshops.

At the end of the proceedings, the participants expressed their satisfaction with the course contents, as well as their appreciation for its skilled delivery by the facilitator and the way it was organized. They also applauded COFEB’s initiative to include training on cyber security in a certification training program.

The ceremony ended with the presentation of certificates to the participants.