Abstract
The cost of cybersecurity is steadily increasing, both in terms of the overall loss to the organisation and in terms of the number of cyberattacks. Every day, new cyber threat types and features appear in the worldwide environment. The hackers have progressed to the point where they come up with novel and creative ways to attack systems, networks, services, and data to steal valuable IT resources. It is impossible to be careless in the field of cybersecurity. Cybersecurity experts and administrators must constantly be on guard against possibly harmful events because new types of cyberattacks are constantly being developed. However, in the digital age, hacking has become a reality. The danger is extremely escalating. Cyber-intrusions are increasing in frequency, cost, and level of sophistication. African countries have recently suffered from an increase in cyber threats. The continent is experiencing an increase in cyberattacks, which can be ascribed to weak cybersecurity measures and vulnerable systems. In many African countries, cybersecurity is a luxury rather than a requirement. Its significance in the continent is still not adequately understood or acknowledged. According to reports, many organizations’ cybersecurity budgets are less than 1%, and many of them have no funding at all. In light of the foregoing, the chapter will look at the cybersecurity issue in Africa and the various cyber threats that have emerged recently. The chapter will also provide an overview of the African Union Convention on CyberSecurity and Personal Data Protection and the difficulties the continental organisation has faced in addressing the cybersecurity issue to reduce the threat level, which is on the rise. The chapter will conclude by identifying different approaches to tackling the problems of hacking in Africa.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Akuta, E., Ong’oa, I., & Jones, C. (2011). Combating cybercrime in sub-Sahara Africa: A discourse on law, policy and practice. Journal of Peace, Gender and Development Studies, 1, 129–137.
Bada, M., Von Solms, B., & Agrafiotis, I. (2019). Reviewing national cybersecurity awareness in Africa: An empirical study.
Best, M. L. (2006a). Last mile initiative innovations. Georgia Institute of Technology. Retrieved July 24, 2007.
Best, M. L. (2006b). A global survey of spectrum license exemptions. In Research conference on communication, information & internet policy (TPRC).
Best, M. L., & Maclay, C. M. (2000). Community internet access in rural areas: Solving the economic sustainability puzzle.
Brenner, S. W. (2007). The Council of Europe’s convention on cybercrime. In Cybercrime (pp. 207–220). New York University Press.
Brooks, C. J., Grow, C., Craig, P., et al. (2018). Cybersecurity essentials. John Wiley & Sons.
Carboni, I., & Bester, H. (2020, May 19). When digital payment goes viral: Lessons from COVID-19’s impact on mobile money in Rwanda. Cenfri.
Chivunga, M., & Tempest, A. (2021). Digital disruption in Africa map** innovations for the AfCFTA in post-COVID times. South African Institute of International Affairs.
Cisco, C. (2009). Annual security report: Highlighting global security threats and trends.
Cole, K., Chetty, M., LaRosa, C., et al. (2008). Cybersecurity in Africa: An assessment. Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, Georgia Institute of Technology.
Diogenes, Y., & Ozkaya, E. (2018). Cybersecurity—Attack and defense strategies: Infrastructure security with Red Team and Blue Team tactics. Packt Publishing.
Donner, J. (2004). Microentrepreneurs and mobiles: An exploration of the uses of mobile phones by small business owners in Rwanda. Information Technologies International Development, 2, 1–21.
Fraser, H. S., & St John, D. M. (2000). Information technology and telemedicine in sub-Saharan Africa: Economical solutions are available to support health care in remote areas. British Medical Journal Publishing Group.
Gagliardone, I., & Sambuli, N. (2015). Cyber security and cyber resilience in East Africa.
Gcaza, N., & Von Solms, R. (2017). A strategy for a cybersecurity culture: A South African perspective. The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Develo** Countries, 80, 1–17.
Gcaza, N., Von Solms, R., & van Vuuren, J. J. (2015). An ontology for a national cyber-security culture environment. In HAISA (pp. 1–10).
Harris, A., Goodman, S., & Traynor, P. (2013). Privacy and security concerns associated with mobile money applications in Africa. Washington Journal of Law, Technology Arts, 8, 245.
Heeks, R. (2002). E-Government in Africa: Promise and practice. Information Polity, 7, 97–114.
Jackson, T. (2015, April 10). Can Africa fight cybercrime and preserve human rights? BBC News.
Kazeem, Y. (2020). African e-commerce is getting a much needed boost from coronavirus lockdowns. Quartz Africa.
Kharouni, L. (2013). Africa a new safe-harbor for cybercriminals (Trend Micro Incorporated Research Paper).
Kritzinger, E., & Von Solms, S. (2012). A framework for cyber security in Africa. Journal of Information Assurance Cybersecurity, 2012, 1.
Kritzinger, E., & Von Solms, S. H. (2010). Cyber security for home users: A new way of protection through awareness enforcement. Computers Security Journal, 29, 840–847.
Kshetri, N. (2013). Cybercrime and cybersecurity in the global south, Springer.
Kshetri, N. (2019). Cybercrime and cybersecurity in Africa. Taylor & Francis.
Kumar, N. (2010). Africa could become the cybercrime capital of the world.
Kumar, N., Mohan, K., & Holowczak, R. (2008). Locking the door but leaving the computer vulnerable: Factors inhibiting home users’ adoption of software firewalls. Decision Support Systems, 46, 254–264.
Lewis, C. (2015). SA ranks high in cybercrime.
Maurer, T. I. M., & Nelson, A. (2020). Cybersecurity workforce challenges. In International strategy to better protects the financial system against cyber threats (pp. 111–126). Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Mbarika, V., & Mbarika, I. (2006). Africa calling [African wireless connection]. IEEE Spectrum, 43, 56–60.
Mbarika, V. W. (2003). Approaching sub-Saharan Africa’s educational dilemma with teleeducation. IEEE Technology Society Magazine, 22, 20–26.
Motlogelwa, T. (2007). Cybercrime law gets teeth. Mmegi Online, 5.
Mukinda, F. (2014). Fraudsters find easy cash in mobile banking. Nairobi: Daily Nation Newspaper.
Myriam, D. (2005). A comparative analysis of cyber security initiatives worldwide. Center for Security Studies, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) for the WSIS Thematic Meeting at ITU on Cyber Security.
Nzwili, F. (2015). China and Kenya at odds over suspected Chinese cyber criminals. The Christian Science Monitor, 26.
Otuki, N. (2014). Bei**g says Runda fraud ring likely targeted China. Business Daily.
Ouma, M. (2007). Kenya’s cyber law being developed. East Africa Standard.
Porcedda, M. G. (2014). Rule of law and human rights in cyberspace. In Riding the digital wave (pp. 28–42). European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS).
Protalinski, E. (2012, July 14). Former Pentagon analyst: China has backdoors to 80% of telecoms. ZDNet.
Quarshie, H. O., & Martin-Odoom, A. (2012). Fighting cybercrime in Africa. Computer Science Engineering, 2, 98–100.
Rains, T. (2020). Cybersecurity threats, malware trends, and strategies. Packt Publishing.
Rowe, B., Reeves, D., & Gallaher, M. (2009). The role of internet service providers in cyber security. Citeseer.
Rowe, B., Reeves, D., Wood, D., et al. (2010). Estimating the market for internet service provider-based cyber security solutions. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
Schneier, B. (2007). Schneier on security.
Sharma, R. (2012). Study of latest emerging trends on cyber security and its challenges to society. International Journal of Scientific Engineering Research, 3, 1.
Sikos, L. F. (2019). OWL ontologies in cybersecurity: Conceptual modeling of cyber-knowledge. In AI in Cybersecurity (pp. 1–17). Springer.
Tahiru, A. (2017). Cybersecurity in Africa: The threats and challenges. Cyberpolitik Journal, 2, 282–295.
Thakur, K., & Pathan, A.-S. K. (2020). Cybersecurity fundamentals: A real-world perspective. CRC Press.
The World Bank. (2006) Africa development indicators 2006: From the World Bank Africa database. The World Bank.
Turianskyi, Y. (2020). Africa and Europe cyber governance lessons. South African Institute of International Affairs.
Uzoka, F.-M. E., & Seleka, G. G. (2006). B2C e-commerce development in Africa: A case study of Botswana. In Proceedings of the 7th ACM conference on electronic commerce (pp. 290–295).
Vecchiatto, P. (2005). SADC looking to harmonise cyber laws. Retrieved June 12, 2005.
Von Solms, R., & Van Niekerk, J. (2013). From information security to cyber security. Computers Security Journal, 38, 97–102.
Willinsky, J., Jonas, R., Shafack, R., et al. (2005). Access to research in Cameroonian universities. The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Develo** Countries, 21, 1–15.
Zeldin, W. (2012). UN Human Rights Council: First resolution on internet free speech. The Library of Congress, Global Legal Monitor.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Cinini, S.F., Ehiane, S.O., Osaye, F.J., Irewunmi, B.A. (2023). The Trends of Cybersecurity and Its Emerging Challenges in Africa. In: Ehiane, S.O., Olofinbiyi, S.A., Mkhize, S.M. (eds) Cybercrime and Challenges in South Africa . Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-3057-9_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-3057-9_4
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-99-3056-2
Online ISBN: 978-981-99-3057-9
eBook Packages: Law and CriminologyLaw and Criminology (R0)