The latest cybersecurity survey by KnowBe4 AFRICA underscores a significant escalation in cybercrime concerns across Africa, with 58% of respondents now “very concerned” about cyber threats, nearly double the figure from two years ago.
According to Zawya, This heightened apprehension is largely driven by fears of online fraud and monetary losses amidst rising AI-assisted cyber threats.
According to the findings, the shift towards digital banking and mobile apps has left South Africans particularly vulnerable, with the country suffering losses of $3bn to digital crime in the previous year alone. The survey, conducted annually since 2019, polled 800 adults across seven African countries, including Morocco, South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt, Kenya, and Botswana.
Anna Collard, SVP Content Strategy and Evangelist at KnowBe4 AFRICA, highlighted the evolving landscape, noting, “The goal of the survey was to assess respondents’ cybersecurity awareness, digital habits, and online security practices. While many challenges remain the same, new threats such as deepfake technology have emerged.”
The survey also revealed an uptick in mobile data usage and mobile financial services, indicating a shift towards greater financial inclusion through digital means. However, this increase also enlarges the potential attack surface for cybercriminals, making mobile-centric security education ever more crucial.
Work-related use of WhatsApp has seen a slight increase, further blurring the lines between personal and professional lives and increasing the security risks associated with personal devices used for work.
Moreover, there appears to be a growing complacency among users regarding personal information security. The survey indicated a decline in the reluctance to share personal data, with more individuals willing to exchange their information for benefits like discounts.
Collard also expressed concern over the lax security practices revealed in the survey, such as the underuse of strong passwords and multi-factor authentication, which have not seen significant improvement. She concluded, “Despite the increased concern, there are gaps in knowledge and practice that need to be addressed to enhance cybersecurity posture across the continent.”
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