From PC Tech Magazine

Technology giant Microsoft recently opened a Cybercrime centre at the Company’s headquarters in Redmond, US and while the centre is based abroad, it will also monitor cyber security issues across Africa.

Cybercrime is often associated with, or directly stems from, pirate and counterfeit software. In Africa, Microsoft is trying hard to combat the problem and will continue to do so with the help of the technology from Microsoft’s Cybercrime Centre.

“We opened the centre to create awareness, carry out enforcement of piracy, and cybercrime prevention. In our market there is a high chance of piracy, and we are supporting the governments to address the issue of piracy. But Microsoft can’t do it alone, and we have to work to with Intellectual Property bodies and companies and have managed to reduce it,” said Daniel Kanya Kamau, Director for Anti-Piracy at Microsoft West, East, Central Africa and Indian Ocean Islands.

Kamau explained that not only are users impacted by pirate software, but it often has a great effect on a country’s economy. “Governments understand that Intellectual Property impacts the economy, but that hasn’t been the issue with software before… only for musicians and the music they create. Currently we are fostering a strong reseller community, so that they can quantify the impact on the economy.”

He added that Microsoft recently announced a partnership with the Kenya Copyright Board to let users know that pirate software is wrong and it has also started similar discussions in Ivory Coast and Nigeria.

As to why cybercrime and pirate software is so prevalent in Africa, Kamau explained that a lot of new PCs are making their way to the continent. “There are more PCs coming into Africa. If you use counterfeit software, often you send the keystrokes to a criminal, and in the context of a business, that is very dangerous.”

Written by Taremwa Abraham  | Read more at  PC Tech Magazine