Nairobi — Cyber-attacks on Kenyan businesses increased by 82 percent last year, latest report shows, highlighting growing vulnerabilities in firms.
Latest pan-African cybersecurity report released by Liquid C2, a business unit of Liquid Intelligent Technologies,
The report titled The Evolving Cyber Security Landscape in Africa 2022 also covers South Africa and Zambia who both recorded an increase of 62 percent in cybercrime.
It features research, analysis, and findings across the three countries on the evolving cyber security threats present in Africa and illustrates how cyberattacks against all large enterprises ramped up dramatically.
"The biggest concern emerging from this report is that companies are saying that they've put a lot more cyber security controls in place. With threats evolving faster than security systems, companies cannot afford to get complacent," says David Behr, CEO of Liquid C2.
"The report highlights that businesses must be consistently vigilant about the ever-evolving cybercrime landscape and the methods malicious actors use to breach cyber security measures. As the report shows, complacency is a luxury no one can afford," he added.
All the respondents in the report highlighted that they had advanced significantly in their cloud and digital strategies and cyber security capabilities.
Furthermore, the majority (68 percent) of the companies interviewed in the research said they had appointed cyber security staff members or signed up with a cyber security team in the past year.
The research also highlights that over half of all large enterprises in the three countries were victims of a successful cyberattack, with 90 percent of them being Kenyan businesses.
Increasingly sophisticated methods like Cybercrime-as-a-Service (CaaS) are becoming more popular in Africa, meaning businesses can no longer rely on outdated technologies and processes.
"It is time companies invested in a partner that provides 24/7/365 protection, rapid response, threat intelligence and prevention, compliance and improved business reputation, all designed to cater to the specific needs of businesses," said Behr.
The top method of attack used by cybercriminals targeting companies was through email, using Phishing or Spam attacks (61 percent), with attacks through compromised passwords following at 48 percent and data breaches and attacks (44 percent) being the second and third most common.
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Furthermore, 61 percent of the companies included in the research said that the breaches to their operations occurred as a result of remote or hybrid working.
One of the most concerning revelations in the report is that Africa faces a growing 100,000-person gap in the number of certified cyber security professionals.
Reports estimate that there are only 7,000 certified cyber security professionals, or one for every 177,000 people on the continent.
However, this number may disguise the true magnitude of the problem as there is no readily available data on the level of investment made by African governments into cyber security.
The report underlines the increasing need for companies to invest in cyber security measures to avoid reputational damage, financial loss, and potential business interruptions.
Additionally, it reinforces how vital it is for organisations to collaborate with trusted third-party Managed Security Services Providers (MSSPs) to implement and refine their cyber security strategies.
