By Lungile Ntimba
University of Johannesburg Prof. Basie von Solms, who has been at the forefront of global cybersecurity research for 50 years, has been awarded the Isaac L. Auerbach Award by the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP).
It is only the eighth time that the award, which is named after the federation’s founding president and early computing pioneer Isaac L. Auerbach, has been given in the IFIP’s 64-year history.
“This award is the pinnacle of my long-standing relationship with IFIP. I am honoured to have represented South Africa for so many years and to contribute to the advancement of information processing on a global scale,” Von Solms said in a statement this week.
Earlier this year, he was ranked 5th in the world for lifetime contributions to cybersecurity research by ScholarGPS, highlighting his immense impact in a field that has never been more critical.
Cybersecurity has become one of the most serious concerns for individuals, businesses and governments.
According to the university, Von Solms’ work has been pivotal in shaping how the world understood and combated digital threats.
“Cybersecurity is more critical than ever in today’s world of evolving digital threats. Ongoing research and collaboration are essential to staying ahead of these challenges,” he said.
According to security firm Check Point, South African business alone faced an average of 1000 attacks a week.
Von Solms has contributed to the transformation of information security since the early 1980s. Over the years, he rose to prominent leadership roles, including serving as the first African IFIP president from 2007 to 2010.
UJ said that alongside his research advancements, he has mentored over 30 doctoral students and numerous master’s students, many of whom focused their studies on information and cybersecurity.
His also serves as an Associate Director at the University of Oxford’s Global Cybersecurity Capacity Centre and as a board member of the Centre for Cybersecurity Capacity Centre of Southern Africa.
Von Solms dedicated the award to key institutions that have supported him throughout his journey – the Institute for IT Professionals of South Africa and UJ.
“I am incredibly thankful for the time and freedom UJ has granted me to participate in IFIP over the years.
“This award is a recognition not just of my work, but of the support from my colleagues, students and UJ. It has been an honour to contribute to the advancement of this field, and I look forward to seeing how the next generation builds on this legacy,” he said.
Prof. Annah Moteetee, who is the Dean of the Faculty of Science, said: “We are immensely proud of Prof. Von Solms’ contributions to both UJ and the global community. His work has been nothing short of groundbreaking and we celebrate him for this extraordinary recognition.”
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