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Zimbabwe among most targeted in cyber attacks
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Zimbabwe is increasingly becoming a hotspot for cyberattacks, with experts warning of rising threats to data security and urging urgent action to strengthen the country's digital defences.
Speaking at the Computer Society of Zimbabwe's Winter School held under the theme "Building Cyber Resilience: Data Protection in the Face of Evolving Threats," the organisation's president, Freddy Ndlovu, called for a renewed focus on building cyber resilience to protect national digital infrastructure, identity systems, and sensitive data.
"Cyber resilience is what ensures that our data, our identities, and our infrastructure remain secure in the face of adversity," Ndlovu said. "But resilience is not built overnight. It requires investment, integrity in policy, and most importantly, investment in people."
His remarks come amid growing concern over Zimbabwe's exposure to cyber threats. According to Adept Solutions chief executive officer Wellington Nheta, Zimbabwe ranked among the top three most attacked nations globally in February 2024.
"In Africa, Zimbabwe and South Sudan were among the most targeted nations," Nheta said, citing findings from the June 2024 CheckPoint cybersecurity report. "More than 31,000 cybercrimes or criminal incidents were recorded in just one month."
Nheta emphasised that cybersecurity can no longer be considered optional or a luxury. "Data protection helps us preserve valuable information that now drives decision-making and organisational success. It is more valuable than ever. Some have even said data has become the new currency," he noted.
He urged organisations and government departments to adopt a holistic approach to data protection - one that looks beyond just software and hardware.
"When we talk about data protection, it's easy to focus only on technology - on products and firewalls. But we must look at the people, the processes, and the tools in a connected way. Technology is only one piece of the puzzle," said Nheta.
The conference brought together technology leaders, IT professionals, and government stakeholders to share insights and strategies on safeguarding Zimbabwe's digital space. Calls were made for stronger public-private collaboration, national data protection policies, and cybersecurity training to raise awareness across sectors.
Zimbabwe, like many other developing nations, is rapidly digitising government services, education, and financial systems. Experts warned that without robust cyber resilience measures, this progress could be undermined by data breaches, identity theft, and digital sabotage.
The Computer Society of Zimbabwe reiterated its commitment to working with industry and government to promote digital security and ensure Zimbabwe is equipped to respond to future cyber threats.
Speaking at the Computer Society of Zimbabwe's Winter School held under the theme "Building Cyber Resilience: Data Protection in the Face of Evolving Threats," the organisation's president, Freddy Ndlovu, called for a renewed focus on building cyber resilience to protect national digital infrastructure, identity systems, and sensitive data.
"Cyber resilience is what ensures that our data, our identities, and our infrastructure remain secure in the face of adversity," Ndlovu said. "But resilience is not built overnight. It requires investment, integrity in policy, and most importantly, investment in people."
His remarks come amid growing concern over Zimbabwe's exposure to cyber threats. According to Adept Solutions chief executive officer Wellington Nheta, Zimbabwe ranked among the top three most attacked nations globally in February 2024.
"In Africa, Zimbabwe and South Sudan were among the most targeted nations," Nheta said, citing findings from the June 2024 CheckPoint cybersecurity report. "More than 31,000 cybercrimes or criminal incidents were recorded in just one month."
Nheta emphasised that cybersecurity can no longer be considered optional or a luxury. "Data protection helps us preserve valuable information that now drives decision-making and organisational success. It is more valuable than ever. Some have even said data has become the new currency," he noted.
He urged organisations and government departments to adopt a holistic approach to data protection - one that looks beyond just software and hardware.
"When we talk about data protection, it's easy to focus only on technology - on products and firewalls. But we must look at the people, the processes, and the tools in a connected way. Technology is only one piece of the puzzle," said Nheta.
The conference brought together technology leaders, IT professionals, and government stakeholders to share insights and strategies on safeguarding Zimbabwe's digital space. Calls were made for stronger public-private collaboration, national data protection policies, and cybersecurity training to raise awareness across sectors.
Zimbabwe, like many other developing nations, is rapidly digitising government services, education, and financial systems. Experts warned that without robust cyber resilience measures, this progress could be undermined by data breaches, identity theft, and digital sabotage.
The Computer Society of Zimbabwe reiterated its commitment to working with industry and government to promote digital security and ensure Zimbabwe is equipped to respond to future cyber threats.
Source - Newsday
