Apply to be a beta Tester here as you prepare for this Hackathon

In today's fast-paced digital landscape, the ability to access and analyze critical data in real-time is paramount for businesses seeking to maintain a competitive edge. The Insights API is designed to empower organizations by providing the tools necessary to secure transactions, authenticate user identities, and gain a comprehensive view of their customer base. By integrating the Insights API into your applications, you can make more informed decisions and deliver superior service to your customers. This hackathon invites developers, data scientists, and business strategists to explore and leverage the full potential of the Insights API to solve real-world challenges, particularly focusing on issues such as SIM swap fraud.

Africa’s Talking is excited to announce an Open Hackathon centered around Insights API: SIM Swap! Unlock the potential of your business with the Insights API. Whether you need to secure transactions, authenticate user identities, or gain a comprehensive customer view, this powerful tool delivers the crucial data you need for informed decisions. Enhance your service delivery and enjoy more connected, insightful customer interactions by integrating these capabilities into your applications.

How SIM Swap works

The API operates by providing an additional layer of security for transactions and sensitive operations. When a service detects a request that requires authentication, such as a bank transaction or account login, the API can check the status of the user’s SIM card. It looks for red flags, such as a recent SIM Swap, that could indicate a potential fraud attempt. If suspicious activity is detected, the transaction can be halted, and additional verification steps can be initiated.

Unlike traditional methods that rely heavily on SMS-based verification, the SIM Swap API offers a more secure and dynamic approach to authentication. By integrating directly with mobile operators’ databases, it provides real-time insights into SIM card changes, significantly reducing the window of opportunity for fraudsters to exploit.

Possible Use Cases

• Financial Institutions: Enhance the security of online banking and transactions by detecting and preventing unauthorized SIM swaps.
• Healthcare Providers: Protect patient confidentiality and secure telemedicine communications against SIM swap attacks.
• Logistics Companies: Safeguard supply chain operations and communication channels from unauthorized access and tampering.
• Manufacturing Enterprises: Secure mobile-based systems and ensure the integrity of remote asset tracking and control processes.

Objectives

• Explore API Capabilities: Enable participants to understand and utilize the full range of features offered by the Insights API, focusing on enhancing security, improving customer experiences, and enabling data-driven decision-making.
• Combat SIM Swap Fraud: Develop solutions that detect and prevent SIM swap fraud by leveraging real-time data provided by the Insights API. This includes monitoring changes in user behavior or SIM card details and implementing safeguards against unauthorized access.
• Build Secure Applications: Encourage the development of secure, robust applications that protect user identities, secure transactions, and offer personalized customer experiences through intelligent data analysis.
• Encourage Innovation: Foster creativity among participants to build new applications or enhance existing ones using the Insights API to solve real-world problems.

Challenges

• SIM Swap Detection and Prevention: Develop solutions that identify suspicious activities related to SIM card changes, helping prevent unauthorized access and fraud.
• User Authentication: Create mechanisms for real-time user authentication, using data such as device history and transaction patterns to verify identities and prevent fraudulent activities.
• Transaction Security: Design systems that secure online transactions by detecting anomalies, validating payment methods, and adding layers of authentication.
• Comprehensive Customer Insights: Develop tools that aggregate and analyze customer data to provide businesses with a 360-degree view, helping improve decision-making and customer engagement.

Target Audience

• Software Engineers: Particularly those with experience in API integration, security, and application development, looking to enhance their skills and create impactful solutions.
• Data Engineers: Professionals who can leverage the data from the Insights API to build models, detect patterns, and drive actionable insights.
• Security Specialists: Experts focused on fraud prevention, data protection, and user authentication.
• Developers Interested in Innovation: Engineers keen on exploring new technologies and developing cutting-edge applications to address current industry challenges.

Expected Results

• Innovative Applications: Solutions that effectively use the Insights API to solve key challenges, particularly around SIM swap fraud and security.
• Working Prototypes: Functional prototypes demonstrating the practical use of the Insights API in enhancing security and customer experience.
• Enhanced Skills and Knowledge: A deeper understanding of the Insights API, along with improved technical skills in API integration and security.
• Collaborative Solutions: Well-rounded applications developed through teamwork, addressing both technical and user experience aspects.
• Networking Opportunities: Connections with peers, mentors, and industry experts, potentially leading to future collaborations.

What should you expect as an Attendee:

• Access to Cutting-Edge Tools: Leverage Africa's Talking powerful APIs and SDKs, designed to make implementation seamless and hassle-free.
• Apprenticeship & Support: Work closely with seasoned experts from Africa's Talking who will guide and support you throughout the hackathon as we build with you.
• Networking Opportunities: Join as a member and connect with like-minded individuals, potential collaborators, and industry professionals.
• Cash Prizes, Recognition and Qualify to Join our Marketplace Program: Stand a chance to win exciting prizes, gain recognition for your innovative solutions and
• Impact Africa: Contribute to the economic growth and development of Africa by providing solutions that simplify and enhance payment processes

The winning solution will receive cash prizes as follows:

1. Winner - $100
2. 1st Runners Up - $50
3. 2nd Runners Up - $25

Africa's Talking powers communications solutions across Africa with simplified access to telco infrastructure, developers use our powerful SMS, USSD, Voice, Chat, Airtime, Mobile Data and Insights APIs to bring their ideas to life, as they build and sustain scalable businesses.

New to Africa's Talking? Get started here.

Developer Documentation (We welcome feedback)

Agenda:

1. Warm-Up

• Introductions
• Form teams where need be.
• Feedback
• Feature requests

2. Building/hacking: Code in GitHub/GitLab/BitBucket and deploy in Docker/Automated CI/Travis CI/Bamboo

Note: This section needs additional setup.

Upon commit, the repository is built and deployed to an accessible web server or an S3 bucket.

3. Demonstration and Wrap-up

Teams or individuals will demo what they have hacked for feedback or adoption.

Note: Carry a laptop

Opportunities for Enterprises and Developers:

• Network
• Innovate
• Access to our Talent bench (You can get a job or a gig on the spot)

Submit your Idea:

• Hackathon idea submission form

Gigs:

We would love to reach out to you so that you can build for our customers, please fill out this form with details to ensure we have your details:

GIG/HACK DEVELOPER PORTFOLIO FORM

Join community channels:

Slack & WhatsApp:

• Join Africa's Talking slack community here

Please follow us on Twitter handles to:

• @AfricasTalking
• @ElarianHQ

You can get our videos, recaps, and event interviews on our youtube channels, subscribe to get updates:

• Africa's Talking Youtube Channel
• Elarian Youtube Channel

Africa's Talking community allows developers to learn skills for the modern-day African Developer. We are language and framework agnostic. All developers are welcome. This is where Africa's Talking developers community meets to build, learn and exchange knowledge.

We are helping software developers and businesses to bring their ideas to life through easy-to-use APIs quickly.

Transport will be provided: Pick up 7:30AM at Jeevanjee Gardens

Would you like to partner with us? Kindly contact the Developer Experience Team.