Safaricom Turns to Allot to Shore Up Security, Boost QoE

Safaricom, Kenya's dominant mobile operator, is to deploy technology from Allot on its mobile and fixed networks to help fend off DDoS attacks and boost the quality of experience (QoE) for its customers.

The customized solution, which comprises Allot's DDoS Secure and NetworkSecure tools as well as analytics and charging capabilities, will help to "enhance quality of experience through improved streaming quality," the vendor said.

Additionally, the solution's network analytics capabilities will help Safaricom optimize its network resources, allowing it to reduce costs and improve customer service plans to increase upsell opportunities.

"We have a long and valued relationship with Allot," said Safaricom's CTO Thibaud Rerolle. "With the visibility, control and security solutions provided by Allot, we will deliver added value with heightened quality of experience and protection to our customers from the rising cybersecurity threats, including DDoS attacks, phishing and crypto jacking."

According to the latest Annual Industry Survey conducted by our sister publication Telecoms.com, malware (of which crypto jacking is a new type), phishing and DDoS are among the most prevalent attack methods, with the volume of such attacks increasing significantly during the past year.

As a counter measure, network operators have been more actively deploying defense tools, from conventional methods such as firewall and DNS blocking to predictive defense measures powered by AI. For businesses such as Safaricom, which has built its commanding market share and growing business on value-added services such as M-PESA mobile money applications as well as connectivity, boosting its security capabilities for both its networks and its customers is critical.

"Safaricom joins several of the world's largest global Tier 1 operators with its deployment of Allot," said Ran Fridman, executive vice president of global sales at Allot. "I am confident the combined DDoS Secure and NetworkSecure convergent solution will bring value to Safaricom and its customers through a better, safer user experience as well as protection against a variety of online threats."

Allot claims its NetworkSecure solution is the world's most broadly deployed network-based security service for the mass market, with more than 21 million paying customers.

Safaricom, meanwhile, is set for a stronger challenge to its Kenyan mobile market dominance as its two main rivals plan to merge. (See Telkom, Airtel finally get engaged.)

— Wei Shi, Site Editor, Connecting Africa