Global cybercrime has increased dramatically in recent years, with over twice as many successful hacks over the previous five years. In Africa, there is also evidence of this worrying tendency. The continent has the greatest weekly total of cyberattacks per organization in 2023.
These catastrophes can have disastrous effects on governments and corporations, causing everything from major financial theft and sensitive data leaks to operational outages. The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa estimates that the annual cost of Africa’s lack of cyber security readiness might reach 10% of GDP.
In Africa, social engineering is involved in 52% of effective assaults on organizations and 91% of attacks against individuals. In about 29% of these attacks, phony websites imitating banks, companies, or payment system authentication pages.
One of the main challenges for the continent lies in the inadequacy of cybersecurity infrastructure. Nearly 90% of African businesses lack cybersecurity protocols, making them extremely vulnerable to attacks.
In response to this critical situation, experts are calling for a revamp of Africa’s approach to cybersecurity as the continent undergoes digital transformation.
(Africanews)
