Cybersecurity has become a major issue for businesses and governments around the world. In Africa, where digital transformation is accelerating, the protection of data and infrastructure is essential. At ST DIGITAL, we are proud to play an active role in this crucial field.
The Cybersecurity Barometer in Africa
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In partnership with the Club des Experts de la Sécurité de l'Information en Afrique (CESIA), we participated in the 4th edition of the Cybersecurity Barometer in Africa. This qualitative study was conducted among decision-makers and digital security professionals in African companies. It enables us to better understand the state of cybersecurity on the continent and to identify the challenges to be addressed.
Paris, April 12, 2024 – In order to assess the state and perception of cybersecurity within organizations across African countries, CESIA has been publishing its annual study since 2020, conducted directly among its members. Today, the club releases the 2024 edition of its study conducted exclusively among digital security professionals based in Africa: Chief Information Officers (CIO), Chief Information Security Officers (CISO), Information Systems Managers (ISM), IT Managers, or Information Systems Security Managers (ISSM). This year, our study covers a record population of 450 participants across 15 African countries.
The study reveals a spectacularly rising level of cybercriminal activity compared to the previous year: 74% of organisations in Africa report having suffered at least one cyberattack in 2023, compared to 56% in 2022.
For the fourth consecutive year, phishing remains the preferred and growing attack vector, accounting for 57% of cases (compared to 51% in 2022 and 69% in 2021). Social engineering moves up to second place at 35% in 2023 (compared to 30% in 2022 and 28% in 2021).
For organisations that have experienced a cyberattack, the causes identified include a lack of digital security awareness, configuration errors and inadequate security measures. To protect against cyberattacks, companies deploy on average eleven technical security solutions: EDR, remote access security (VPN and/or equivalent), MFA, proxy and URL filtering, SIEM, SOC, Anti-DDoS, database monitoring, NAC and CASB; in addition to antivirus software.
That said, more than 1 in 2 companies (56%) do not have a cyber resilience programme and 46% do not have a SOC.
The human factor remains a priority for digital security professionals. An increasing indicator, 57% of companies in Africa have an annual
awareness, but 60% of these organisations have not implemented a mechanism to test the application of security recommendations (audits, mock phishing campaigns, etc.).
Trust in innovative solutions and start-ups remains low, more than 1 in 2 organisations (54%) in Africa do not use them, citing a lack of opportunity, a lack of awareness of available offerings, and a lack of maturity or sustainability in those offerings.
The same applies to cyber insurance, with only 23% of organisations in Africa having subscribed to it.
Regarding AI, 39% of security professionals observe its use in their
environments. Yet 54% say they are ready to let an AI solution make
security decisions regarding detection and/or remediation.
Finally, cloud and sovereign cloud remain a major challenge for organisations in Africa. 26% of companies store their data in public clouds.
Our Commitment
At ST DIGITAL, we are committed to supporting our African clients in their digital transformation by ensuring the security of their data and systems. Our cybersecurity expertise enables us to offer solutions tailored to the specific needs of each organisation.
Cybersecurity is a collective challenge. As a partner of CESIA, we are proud to contribute to the protection of the African continent against digital threats. Together, let us build a secure and resilient digital future for Africa.