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Surge in Cyberattacks – Kenya, South Africa, and Zambia Witness 76% Increase in 2022, Reveals Liquid C2 Report
There has been an increase in cyberattacks on businesses in Kenya, South Africa, and Zambia. Techbuild.africa reports that there has been a substantial increase of 76%, as revealed by Liquid C2, a business of Liquid Intelligent Technologies, a pan-African technology group. The latest cyber security report titled ‘The Evolving Cyber Security Landscape in Africa 2022’ presents research, analysis, and findings on the evolving cyber security threats across the three countries. Large enterprises in Kenya experienced an 82% surge in attacks, followed by South African businesses with a 62% increase and Zambian businesses facing a 62% rise.
The report highlights the growing apprehension among companies implementing enhanced cyber security controls amid this trend. However, with threats evolving faster than security systems, complacency is a luxury businesses can no longer afford, warns David Behr, CEO of Liquid C2. The report highlights the need for businesses to remain consistently vigilant in the face of the ever-evolving cybercrime landscape and the tactics employed by malicious actors to breach cyber security measures.
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While there are reasons for optimism, as indicated by respondents in the report who have made significant strides in their cloud and digital strategies and cyber security capabilities, the prevalence of successful cyberattacks raises concerns. Over half of all large enterprises in the three countries fell victim to cyberattacks. According to the research, an alarming 90% are Kenyan businesses. In Africa, increasingly sophisticated methods such as Cybercrime-as-a-Service (CaaS) are gaining popularity, underscoring the inadequacy of outdated technologies and processes. Businesses must invest in partners offering comprehensive protection, rapid response, threat intelligence and prevention, compliance, and improved business reputation, tailored to their needs.
The report identifies email-based attacks, mainly through phishing or spam, as the top method cyber criminals use against companies, accounting for 61% of the attacks. Compromised passwords followed at 48%, while data breaches and attacks accounted for 44% of the incidents. Additionally, 61% of the companies surveyed attributed breaches in their operations to remote or hybrid working arrangements.
Another critical report finding is the widening gap of 100,000 certified cybersecurity professionals in Africa. Estimates reveal that the continent has only 7,000 certified professionals, equating to one professional for every 177,000 people. However, the true magnitude of the problem might be even more significant, considering the lack of readily available data on the level of investment made by African governments into cyber security.
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Picture: Unsplash / Mika Baumeister
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