ATI NetSec Forum
Building Africa’s Research & Education Cybersecurity Community through technical exchange, operational training, and trusted collaboration.
Background & Purpose
As research and education networks across Africa expand, they are increasingly supporting critical digital infrastructure for universities, research institutions, and scientific collaboration. This growth brings significant opportunities but also exposes networks to an evolving cybersecurity threat landscape.
Addressing these challenges requires more than isolated technical teams. It requires a trusted, collaborative cybersecurity community that connects network operators, security practitioners, researchers, and institutions across the continent.
The ATI NetSec Forum serves as a community platform connecting cybersecurity practitioners and researchers working to secure Africa’s research and education infrastructure.
Bridging the Gap
ATI complements the NREN Academy, which focuses on leadership, strategy, and sustainability for National Research and Education Networks.
→ Network operations
→ Security operations
→ Cybersecurity research
→ Operational incident response
Community Scope
NREN Academy
Network engineers and security specialists operating national research and education networks.
Universities
Campus network operators and institutional security teams protecting academic digital infrastructure.
CSIRTs
Collaboration with national teams to strengthen coordination between academic and national cyber defence.
Researchers
Experts contributing applied research on threat detection, network measurement, and infrastructure resilience.
Students
Early-career professionals engaging with practitioners to develop practical cybersecurity skills.
Private Sector
Cybersecurity companies and threat intelligence organizations contributing technical expertise.
Forum Core Activities
Strengthening Cybersecurity Capability
Across Africa
Training and Capacity Building
Participants develop practical skills in network security monitoring, intrusion detection, incident response workflows, and threat intelligence fundamentals.
Technical Exchange
A platform for technical presentations, operational case studies, and practitioner-led knowledge exchange to solve regional security challenges.
Cybersecurity Exercises
Engage in cyber defence exercises such as the CyberBastion Africa League, practising responses to realistic incidents affecting R&E infrastructure.
Research Collaboration
Advancing applied cybersecurity research relevant to African networks through collaboration between researchers and operational teams.
Relationship to TrustBroker Africa
The ATI NetSec Forum complements TrustBroker Africa but does not replace it. TrustBroker Africa provides a trusted collaboration environment for incident response teams and security organisations.
The NetSec Forum expands the ecosystem by bringing together a broader community of practitioners, researchers, and organisations interested in network security for research and education infrastructure.
Layered Cybersecurity Ecosystem
Community and Knowledge Exchange
ATI NetSec Forum
Trusted Operational Collaboration
TrustBroker Africa
Cyber Defence Exercises
CyberBastion Africa League
Threat Intelligence Sharing
WACREN ISAC
Launch Activities & Milestones
The ATI NetSec Forum will be launched alongside the CyberBastion Africa League in 2026.
CyberBastion Information Session
Official launch of the NetSec community initiative alongside the Africa League.
CyberBastion Competition
Online competition phase involving teams from research and education networks across Africa.
TrustBroker Africa VI
Community collaboration, ATI NetSec workshops, and CyberBastion Africa League finals.
Strategic Significance
Through this initiative, WACREN strengthens Africa’s capacity to secure digital infrastructure, expands the practitioner community, and creates a pipeline of skilled cybersecurity professionals.
→ Broadening community reach
→ Building CSIRT capabilities
→ Operational & research collaboration
→ Pipeline of skilled experts