Our current Africa Cybersecurity Consciousness survey has revealed a startling surge in cybersecurity issues amongst African customers, with 58% of respondents expressing excessive ranges of fear about cybercrime – a determine that has practically doubled from 29% in 2023.
The worry is just not unfounded. As highlighted by Interpol’s African Cyberthreat Report 2024, the continent has witnessed a big uptick in cybercrime, together with its monetary and social repercussions. South Africa alone noticed over R1 billion stolen from shoppers via digital banking and cell app crime in 2023, in line with the South African Banking Threat Data Centre.
But it surely’s not simply in regards to the numbers. The character of cyber threats is evolving, with criminals more and more exploiting human psychology via social engineering techniques. E-mail phishing and vishing (voice phishing) proceed to be the go-to strategies for cybercriminals, whereas rising applied sciences like AI-generated content material are being weaponized for impersonation, extortion, and knowledge theft.
Maybe most alarming is the blurring of strains between bodily and digital crime. Incidents of criminals utilizing kidnapping or coercion to forcibly entry victims’ banking purposes underscore the rising sophistication and brazenness of those threats.
In response to those issues, we carried out a survey throughout seven African international locations to gauge consumer preparedness for cybersecurity threats. The outcomes paint a fancy image of elevated consciousness coupled with persistent vulnerabilities.
On the constructive facet, the adoption of cell monetary companies 85% amongst survey respondents, signifies better monetary inclusion via digital means. Nonetheless, this additionally expands the potential assault floor for cybercriminals, emphasizing the necessity for strong, mobile-centric safety schooling.
The survey additionally revealed some regarding developments. Whereas 83% of respondents expressed confidence of their skill to acknowledge a safety incident, 53% admitted they did not know what ransomware was, and 35% had misplaced cash to scams. This disconnect highlights the hazard of overconfidence in cybersecurity issues.
Privateness issues appear to be fading, with fewer respondents expressing reluctance to share private info. The proportion of these “not possible” to offer away private knowledge nearly halved from 29% in 2023 to 14% in 2025.
As we navigate this evolving panorama, it is clear that whereas consciousness is rising, there’s nonetheless a lot work to be completed. The survey underscores the necessity for continued schooling and vigilance in cybersecurity practices throughout the continent.
Regardless of elevated concern about cybercrime among the many survey’s respondents, there are nonetheless gaps in information and apply that have to be addressed to enhance total cybersecurity posture throughout the continent.
As we transfer ahead in 2025, addressing these vulnerabilities ought to be a precedence for people, organizations, and policymakers alike. Solely via concerted efforts can we hope to construct a safer digital future for Africa.