Cybersecurity Context in African Continent - Way Forward
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The document discusses the rising threats of cybercrime in Africa, detailing its economic impact and the global cybersecurity market projected to reach $152 billion by 2025. It highlights the severe costs of cybercrime, with estimates of $500 billion in global losses, and the urgent need for skilled professionals and cohesive international cooperation to counter these threats. Additionally, the document emphasizes the role of frameworks such as the Budapest Convention in promoting cybersecurity regulation and cooperation among nations.
Cybersecurity Context in African Continent - Way Forward
- 1. Enigmatic Economy of Cybersecurity Context and Contours in African Continent
- 2. Emerging spectre of cybersecurity conflicts
- 3. Global Cybersecurity Marketplace The Global Cybersecurity Market is projected to reach $ 152 billion by 2025 on account of increasing threats of cyber-attacks and data breaches faced by organizations, which has drastically increased the need for strong authentication techniques and cybersecurity solution. However, the need to adhere to the cybersecurity standards and regulations can also hamper the market growth over the next few years. Besides, shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals and high cost of cybersecurity solutions can further restrict the market growth since many organizations face budget constraints, especially the SMEs.
- 4. Global Cybercrime Statistics According to a widely accepted estimate, cybercrime costs the world economy the sum of US $ 500 billion, more than the GDP of South Africa (350.6 billion dollars) and slightly less than that of Nigeria ( 521.8 billion dollars), the continent's largest economy. According to estimates, cybercrime costs the Nigerian economy the sum of US $ 500 million per annum. According to the United Nations, cybercrime covers any illegal behavior directed by means of electronic operations that targets the security of computer systems and the data processed by them. According to Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit (DCU), “there are nearly 400 million victims of cyber crime each year. And cyber crime costs consumers 113 billion dollars a year
- 5. Global Cybercrime Statistics According to Microsoft’s estimate, in 2014 about one half of all adults connected to the Internet were victims of cybercrime. This costs the world economy 500 billion dollars; 20% of all small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have been hit. Cybercrime cost the South African economy an estimated 573 million dollars. For the Nigerian economy the cost was estimated to be 500 million dollars, and for the Kenyan economy, 36 million dollars Another study conducted by Deloitte and dating back to 2011 showed that financial institutions in Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, and Zambia had sustained losses of 245 million dollars, attributable to cyberfraud.
- 6. Contours of Cyber Conflicts in the global context State to state engagement in cyberspace Destructive potential of cyber conflicts Two Streams of thought : Cyber conflicts as an important new domain of military power that threatens to upend traditional understanding of conflicts Cyber conflicts as an auxiliary domain of conflict with little strategic value in isolation from kinetic conflict
- 9. Transition and Transformation of Cybersecurity from Geekspace to a Battlespace
- 10. Key Cybersecurity Challenges Lack of adequate and interoperable national and regional frameworks Lack of secure software and ICT based applications Lack of appropriate national and international organisational structures to deal with cyber incidents. Lack of information security professionals and skills within governments : lack of basic awareness among users. Lack of international cooperation between industry experts, law enforcements, regulators, academia and international organisations to address a global challenge.
- 11. Asymmetric surprise attacks perpetrated by a weaker state against a stronger state!
- 12. Africa in Context Internet penetration in Africa is 39.3 %. There are 126,078,999 internet users in Nigeria. It amounts to 61.2% of the population Lagos in Nigeria is one of the fastest growing cities in the world. Forbes reports that mobile usage in sub-Saharan Africa is more widespread than electricity. Africa has one of the youngest population in developing countries. The median age in Africa is 19.2 years old. According to Kaspersky Labs, there are 13,842 cyber attacks daily in South Africa, 570 attacks every hour.
- 13. Africa in Context Kenya reported a dramatic rise in Cybercrimes with 9 million malware attacks in just three months from October to December 2018. The African Union Convention also known as Malaboo Convention has proposed legislation, regulation, and governance strategies across Africa. Countries such as Ghana, Kenya, and Mauritius have come forward to embrace this framework. Budapest Convention is widely considered as the gold standard in this context. Only Cabo Verde, Ghana, Mauritius, Morocco, and Senegal have incorporated it into the national law.
- 14. Budapest Convention The Convention on Cybercrime, also known as the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime or the Budapest Convention, is the first international treaty seeking to address Internet and computer crime by harmonizing national laws, improving investigative techniques, and increasing cooperation among nations. The Budapest Convention provides for the criminalisation of conduct, ranging from illegal access, data and systems interference to computer-related fraud and child pornography, procedural law tools to make investigation of cybercrime and securing of e-evidence in relation to any crime more effective, and international police and judicial cooperation on cybercrime and e-evidence. As of September 2019, 64 states have ratified the convention.
- 15. Additional Protocols to the Convention on Cybercrime Additional Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime, concerning the criminalisation of acts of a racist and xenophobic nature committed through computer systems is an additional protocol to the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime. This additional protocol was the subject of negotiations in late 2001 and early 2002. Final text of this protocol was adopted by the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers on 7 November 2002 by the United States Department of Justice by the United States Department of Justice
- 16. UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Cybercrime (2000) This treaty, also known as the Palermo Convention, obligates state parties to enact domestic criminal offenses that target organized criminal groups and to adopt new frameworks for extradition, mutual legal assistance, and law enforcement cooperation. Although the treaty does not explicitly address cyber crime, its provisions are highly relevant.
- 17. Conventions of the Rights of the Child (1989) Article 34 of the Convention obligates state parties to protect children from all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse, including prostitution and pornography.
- 18. Cybercrimes in Africa Cybersecurity experts estimate that 80 percent of personal computers on the African continent are infected with viruses and other malicious software. Statistics from various sources indicate that Africa is very prone to cyber-related threats due to the high number of domains coupled with very weak network and information security. South Africa (80 percent) has the third highest number of cybercrime victims in the world, after Russia (92 percent) and China (84 percent). Thirty- one percent of these attacks, categorized as cyber espionage, have hit both large and small businesses. Individual consumers have also become vulnerable to viruses and other forms of cyber threats.
- 19. Impacts of Cybercrime Fraudulent Financial Transactions Child kidnappings Terrorist attacks Loss of Tourism Internet Infrastructure Damage Loss of Trust
- 20. Economic Impact of Cybersecurity As per Norton Cybercrime Report 2012, direct financial losses totalled an average of $197 per victim world wide, while globally a grand $110 billion in direct financial loss was recorded. There is a strong correlation between cybersecurity and economic growth. The study by the International Data Group Connect estimates that annually, cybercrimes cost the South African economy $573 million, the Nigerian economy $200 million, and the Kenyan economy $36 million.
- 21. International Standards ISO 27001 - Systematic approach to establishing, implementing, operating, monitoring, reviewing, maintaining and improving an organisation information security
- 22. COVID -19 and Cyberattacks ● The COVID-19 pandemic has increased use of and reliance on the internet as people need to work and learn from home. ● Cyberattacks have also increased worldwide during the crisis. ● Governments can address cybersecurity in the post-pandemic world if they work together to adjust national frameworks, increase international cooperation and unify awareness campaigns. The COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating digital transformation and heavier reliance on digital services. The increased adoption of telework and distance learning due to “social distancing” have led to a 50% increase in data traffic in some markets.
- 23. COVID -19 and Cyberattacks During the crisis, cyberattacks have increased worldwide, including against critical healthcare institutions, which have been the target of ransomware attacks. Private sector data reveals a 350% surge in phishing websites since the start of the pandemic. The United Kingdom and United States have reported that a growing number of cyber criminals and other malicious groups are exploiting the situation for their own personal gain, and cyber criminals have used stimulus packages as the subject of phishing hoaxes.
- 24. Cybersecurity Frameworks for Post Pandemic Political Economy Countries must become more agile in updating or developing national cybersecurity strategies, as well as legal and regulatory framework regarding cyberspace. These initiatives must take a multi-stakeholder approach, including paying close attention to the construction of incident response capacities in all sectors. Governments cannot act alone, and the participation of the technical community and the private sector are essential to building effective resilience capabilities. Harmonizing legislation should also be a priority. Today, the Budapest Convention is the most global and inclusive agreement dedicated to fighting cybercrime. It has been ratified by 55 countries, with another 10 requesting accession.
- 25. Remember ! No one is immune to a cyber incident or one “bad click.” In particular, it is of utmost importance to start teaching children about cybersecurity.