A report published by INTERPOL gives key insights into cybercrime in Africa. The result of cross-sector collaboration helps countries in Africa to understand the most prevalent threats and formulate a coordinated regional response to cybercrime.
The top threats are:
Online scams
Fake emails or text messages claiming to be from a legitimate source are used to trick individuals into revealing personal or financial information.
Digital extortion
Victims are tricked into sharing sexually compromising images which are used for blackmail.
Business email compromise
Criminals hack into email systems to gain information about corporate payment systems, then deceive company employees into transferring money into their bank accounts.
Ransomware
Cybercriminals block the computer systems of hospitals and public institutions and demand money to restore functionality.
Botnets
Networks of compromised machines are used as a tool to automate large-scale cyberattacks.
