African stakeholders and organizations, this include private sector and public sector organizations are downplaying the incidence and impact of cyber-attacks on their businesses.

Many Countries in the continents dop not have cyber security postures. This includes a lot of Local and even international Organizations operating in these countries. Most countries need to amend their laws to address the current realities. Cyber Attacks are real, and they are taking place in our environment. The real challenge is a lot of the attacks are not even discovered, even if they are discovered there are no laws that require the appropriate ways to treat the attacks.

For instance, Banks & FinTech’s have been suffering cyber attacks for over 2 decades in Nigeria but a lot of this attacks have not been properly investigated, documented and disclosed. Generic names have been used to describe these attacks such as fraud, system glitches and so on. In the same light during the recent concluded Nigerian election, it was alleged that the electoral body server was attacked several times, and this might have impacted on the credibility of the elections.

It is time to step up our Cyber security posture in Africa. Government should establish laws and frameworks to support the right cyber security posture. Private Sector Organization should set up Cybersecurity department to forestall future attacks and address the current ones. Perfect Mind Connect is ready to help. We have the competence to help. We will help Public and private sector organization to develop strategies to address current and future cyber risks.

Some of the recent cyber attacks that had been reported in Africa is below. Think about it your organization may be next!

• South Africa - Experian Data Breach (2020): Experian, a global credit reporting company, experienced a data breach in South Africa in 2020. Personal information of approximately 24 million South African citizens and 800,000 businesses was exposed. The breach was due to a fraudulent request made by a client who posed as a legitimate company, leading to the compromise of sensitive data.



• Kenya - Ministry of Health Data Breach (2020): In 2020, Kenya's Ministry of Health suffered a data breach in which hackers leaked sensitive medical information of COVID-19 patients. The breach resulted in the personal data of patients, including names, ages, and medical histories, being posted on the dark web.



• Egypt - NilePhish (2017 - Present): NilePhish is a cyber espionage group believed to operate out of Egypt. They have been active since at least 2017 and have targeted various entities, including government institutions, media outlets, and human rights organizations. Their activities involve phishing campaigns and the deployment of malware to steal sensitive information.



• Nigeria - APT34 Targeting (2019): APT34, a state-sponsored hacking group believed to be operating from Iran, targeted multiple African countries, including Nigeria. The group's activities include phishing campaigns and attempts to gain unauthorized access to government and critical infrastructure networks for espionage purposes.



• Uganda - Anonymous Operation (2019): The hacktivist group Anonymous targeted the Ugandan government's online presence in response to the country's treatment of political opposition and human rights issues. The group claimed responsibility for taking down various Ugandan government websites.



• Tunisia - Ennahda Party Website Hack (2013): In 2013, the website of Tunisia's Ennahda Party, a prominent political party, was hacked. The attackers defaced the website and posted messages criticizing the party's leadership.



• Mauritius - Bank of Mauritius Cyber Incident (2020): The Bank of Mauritius faced a cyber incident in 2020, which resulted in the compromise of some of its email accounts. While the full details of the incident were not publicly disclosed, it underscored the potential vulnerabilities in the financial sector.

It's important to note that cyber attacks are a global phenomenon and can affect any region, including Africa. These examples highlight the need for robust cybersecurity measures and proactive efforts to prevent and mitigate cyber threats. Cybersecurity awareness, education, and collaboration among governments, businesses, and individuals are essential in addressing the evolving cyber threat landscape.