Cybercriminals have been upping the ante since 2015 by increasing ransom values threefold.
According to a report by the UN’s International Telecommunications Union, ransomware continues to plague businesses and consumers across Africa, with the average ransom demand set at more than US$1 000 (2016) compared to approximately US$300 the previous year.
In terms of African countries that have adopted measures to mitigate cyberattacks, Mauritius leads the way. The country scores well in legal and technical areas, while the government’s IT security unit has conducted 180 awareness sessions for some 2 000 civil servants across 32 ministries and departments.
Rwanda ranks second, while Kenya takes third place, due largely to its National Kenya Computer Incident Response Team Co-ordination Centre.
