Experts advise Uganda government, agencies on cyber security priorities

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KAMPALA - Government entities, businesses and organisations that have a large presence online have been urged to invest more in systems that can ensure their protection against cyberattacks.

According to Theoneste Ngiruwonsanga, the project manager responsible for Cyber Security and Data Privacy at Smart Africa, hacking is motivating more people to join the vice owing to the high financial gains.  

“We are seeing that they are using online platforms to gain access to personal information through online scams,” said Ngiruwonsanga, whose leadership oversees work in over 40 partner countries, including Uganda.

“The hacker’s motivation both here in Africa and abroad is to get money so they will do anything to get into your system or devices so they can get information that will help them to steal your money.”

He also explained that others are interested in digital infrastructural sabotage, adding:
“You know we are living in a very competitive world and some actors are using their skills and expertise to sabotage our digital infrastructure on institutional level and country level.”

He made the revelation on the sidelines of the East Africa Community in Partnership with the Internet Society Uganda Chapter (EAIGF) workshop on Thursday, September 12, 2024.

Organised under the theme “Building our Multi-Stakeholder Digital Future for East Africa", the event took place at Serena Hotel, Kampala between September 11 -12, 2024 and was attended by several dignitaries including parliamentarians.

Ngiruwonsanga said in a bid to ensure protection on the continent is enhanced, they have developed continental guidelines on data protection and privacy, “on top of developing a cyber security blueprint to guide member states while drafting their national registration and national policies and strategies.”

He said they are also working on addressing cross-border data breach issues by suggesting helpful measures in terms of capacity building, collaboration, awareness, and policy development.

He noted that these guidelines are clear on what countries can do to develop a robust buffer against cyber insecurity and data breaches.  

According to IBM's Cost of a Data Breach Report 2023, the cost of a data breach continues to rise every year as new attack methods, new vulnerabilities, and new risks appear.

The average cost of a data breach in 2023 was $4.45m, a 2.3% increase from 2022's cost of $4.35m it says.

In Uganda, according to the 2023 annual Crime Report, an estimated sh1.5b was lost as a result of cybercrimes with a total 245 cases reported country-wide.

However, analysts say the loss in Uganda could be several times more and in trillions as many entities such as banks rarely disclose their losses.

Relatedly, a survey published in January by Allianz Risk Barometer, a German agency that regularly reports about cybersecurity issues, showed that cyber-attacks, which include incidents such as ransomware attacks, data breaches, and Information Technology (IT) disruptions are the biggest worry by Uganda firms, including banks, and ranks higher than theft, fraud, corruption, natural disasters and fire.

While it noted that risk perception differs regionally; from climate change, political risks, and violence, to shortage of skilled workforce, in Uganda, cyber incidents emerged as the top risk and concern, especially for business executives.