Mozambique: State, companies targeted by 1.5M cyber attacks a month

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Mozambique: State, companies targeted by 1.5M cyber attacks a month

9:42 CAT | 19 Jul 2023

File photo: Lusa

Mozambique is the target of about 1.5 million cyber attacks every month, according to data that reveals high levels of vulnerability, the director general of Portuguese technology, Bravantic, said on Tuesday.

“Mozambique is a very vulnerable country. We are not yet mature enough to consolidate some steps with regard to security,” said Eduardo Vicente, speaking to the media on the sidelines of an international conference on cyber security taking place in Maputo.

In the first half of this year alone, according to official data, the Mozambican Public Prosecutor’s Office registered a total of 367 cases related to cybercrime, and although the figures represent a reduction of 6.6% compared to the same period in 2022, the situation is still described as alarming.

“It is a pity that many companies that are attacked do not make this information available, for reasons, sometimes, of image” said Eduardo Vicente.

According to Bravantic’s CEO, the digital transformation process that many companies are witnessing in Africa makes the continent a breeding ground for cyber threats.

“Africa is growing a lot […] and sometimes, in this process, things are done far too quickly without consolidation in the area of security,” said the source, who pointed to greater investment in security and staff training as fundamental.

According to the previous population census carried out in 2017, of the approximately 30 million inhabitants, a fifth of the Mozambican population has a mobile phone, but only 6% has access to the internet.

The percentage of the population with access to a computer is 4.4%.

In 2018, the government passed a resolution ratifying the African Union convention on cybersecurity and data protection.

In February last year, a cyber attack left several official portals off line, but according to the authorities, the situation was brought under control after a few hours.

Created in 1996, the Bravantic group, which has exclusively Portuguese capital, operates in Brazil, Angola, Cabo Verde and the United Arab Emirates, as well as Mozambique, providing technological solutions to companies.

Source: Lusa