The threat of cybercrime is back in the news as Interpol recently released its Africa Cyber Threat Assessment 2021 report which breaks down the most pervasive threats across the continent so organizations and consumers can better navigate their way. prepare and protect yourself.
It would be a mistake to relegate the importance of this report to the IT department, says Chris Norton, regional director – Africa, Veeam Software. The C-suite is an integral part of the fight against cybercrime because it goes beyond theft or reputation – it presents an existential threat.
According to the Interpol report, the top five threats in Africa are:
- online scams;
- digital extortion;
- compromise of business emails;
- ransomware; and
- botnets.
Before we delve a little deeper into the implications of each threat and how organizations should protect themselves, it’s essential to understand how the criminals behind the scams operate.
Most attacks are not carried out by one-off opportunists. Cybercriminals operate in highly organized criminal networks and spend a lot of time and money on research and development activities, equipped with the latest technology and social engineering, to make their attacks highly sophisticated. Far from being alarmist, any organization should start from the understanding that it is not a question of “if” an attack will take place, but of “when”.
Online scams
These attacks tend to target older generations who are less digitally savvy….
