Information System Infrastructure Management Influence on Cyber-Terrorism in Directorate of Criminal Investigation, Nairobi City County, Kenya.

Abstract

Cyber terrorism having combined two concepts of “cyber” and “terrorism” refers to cyber space being the medium of orchestrating terrorist acts to wit; spread of online propaganda, alteration or destruction of information, planning and carrying out of terrorist’s attacks via the use of computer networks reigns respectively. Its therefore a complex contemporary matter. Information system infrastructure management being the collation of all interrelated elements for information flow within the organization on how it is planned, organized, staffed, directed and controlled to avert leakage to unauthorised persons. In regard to Directorate of criminal investigation, the flow should be timely and secure. The directorate had gradually advanced its Information Technology traversing from the Radio calls alias “over-over”, UHF and VHF pocket phones, signal communication to the modern world of computer networks where information is dispatched via emails, WhatsApp, twitter, face book and establishment of integrated command and control centre within Nairobi and Mombasa cities. Based on above advancements, organization information infrastructure security is critical to combat the eminent danger of cyber-terrorism. In furtherance, the study corely intended to examine how information system infrastructure of the directorate of criminal investigation is managed to avert cyber terrorism attacks adversely boasted for social, emotional, psychological and economic impact hence driving the study’s core significance. Contextually, the subject matter under study beared a dynamic scope hence readily accepted in the current sphere. On orchestrature mode and being a crime of the elites, post-modern theories namely the Actor network Theory (ANT) and Technological Determinism (TD) were incorporated for phenomenal discussion. Consequently, descriptive survey design that targeted 50 respondents and ten (10) key informants drawn from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations at DCI headquarters was done through stratified technique. While encompassing both figurative and non-figurative data collection methods through filling of questionnaires, the study output was subjected to validity and reliability tests cognizant of research ethical values. Moreover, specific objectives were postulated to examine the study traversing from finding out the influence of planning measures on cyber-terrorism in the Directorate, establishing the extent to which staffing needs affected the organization, determining how coordination efforts related to cyber-terrorism and finally establishing effects of controlling mechanism on cyber-terrorism in the directorate. Data was analysed with the help of SPSS software. The findings for objective one was low level of preparedness with minimal impetus to launch desirable approaches, the second objective were flows in system and high hardened transformative rigidity, the third objective indicated moderate impediments on institutional engagements and the fourth objective attributed insufficient controls. Based on above findings the recommendations on objective basis were instant rollout of information infrastructural plans, increase of anti-cyber trainings, uplift of institutional collaborations and launch of robust control mechanisms respectively