ZERO TRUST MATURITY MODEL AND CYBER RESILIENCE IN MOBILE MONEY PROVIDERS IN NAIROBI CITY COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Mobile money services have revolutionized the payment system in Kenya, bringing significant benefits to both the economy and its citizens. However, as the industry has grown and evolved, it has also faced significant cybersecurity challenges that have resulted in financial losses for mobile money providers. Despite investing heavily in security controls and countermeasures, the industry has struggled to keep up with emerging cyber threats. To combat these challenges, mobile money providers have implemented a range of security strategies, from traditional measures like encryption mechanisms and user authentication to more innovative approaches such as API security and deployment of security operations centers. These efforts have been coupled with education and awareness campaigns to sensitize all stakeholders to the risks of cybercrime. Despite these efforts, cyber threats continue to evolve due to emerging technologies taking shape, and new strategies are needed to address them effectively. Therefore, it is essential to continue developing innovative approaches in cybersecurity that go beyond technology and devices to ensure provision of secure and sustainable mobile money services to consumers. By doing so, organizations can build trust in their system and continue reaping the benefits of these transformative and adaptive security technologies. Ensuring cyber resilience is crucial across all aspects of an organization, encompassing people, processes, and technology. This is critical for mobile money service providers because trust and confidence in provision of their services are vital in ensuring a safe and secure environment. To achieve this, a zero trust mature security model can significantly influence these providers. By implementing the principles behind this model, they can create a more secure environment, gain competitive advantage, and offer better measures against cyberattacks and fraud. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the influence of zero trust mature model principles on mobile money providers in their pursuit of cyber resilience. Identity access management was shown to substantially enhance cyber resilience by securing user authentication and access controls. Additionally, cybersecurity operations management were found to positively influence cyber resilience, emphasizing the importance of proactive threat detection, incident response, and robust data protection measures. Collectively, these results highlight the need for a comprehensive approach to cybersecurity, integrating multiple strategies to strengthen mobile money platforms against evolving threats.

Key Words: Zero Trust Maturity Model, Cyber Resilience, Mobile Money Providers, Identity Access Management, Cybersecurity Operations Management