Cyber Security Authority’s intervention protects over 4000 Ghanaians from cyber fraud attempts in first half of 2022
Acting Director-General of the Cyber Security Authority, Dr. Albert Antwi Bosiako has revealed that the interventions of the authority have thwarted numerous cyber-attacks targeted at over 4000 Ghanaians in the first half of 2022.
The Acting Director-General made this disclosure on Wednesday, September 14, 2022 at the media launch of the 2022 Edition of the National Cyber Security Awareness Month in Accra.
According to Dr. Antwi-Bosiako, despite the enormous socio-economic benefits of digitization and internet access, many unscrupulous persons have taken advantage to engage in cyber crimes targeted at governments, businesses and individuals.
The cyber crimes include online fraud schemes, unauthorized access, online blackmail (Sextortion & Extorsion), online impersonation, publication of non-consensual intimate images among others. He added that this trend of cyber security threats are not only peculiar to Ghana but global in nature.
“Whiles digitization is bringing remarkable economic and societal benefits to majority of our population, it is worth noting that this technology irrespective of the opportunities they create have inherent risks such as criminals taking advantage and taking over our protected systems which could then have detrimental effects on individuals,” Dr. Antwi Bosiako noted.
He added that, “studies have shown that increasing reliance on the Internet has created more risks and vulnerabilities and opened up new possibilities for criminal activity.The Global Risks Reports 2022 indicates that cybersecurity threats are growing; malware and ransomware attacks increased by 358% and 435% respectively in 2020.”
In order to protect subscribers of internet and digital services, the Cyber Security Authority has setup the National Computer Emergency Response Team which assist individuals who reach out to them to report suspected cyber threats.
He disclosed that as at the end of the first half of 2022, the Team had received over 7000 contacts through his toll free 292 number to seek guidance about a potential or suspected cyber attack attempts they might have encountered in the digital space.
Dr. Antwi Bosiako indicated that through the intervention, these persons were protected from being victims of cyber criminals, an achievement he said the authority is very proud of.
“Out of this number, more than 300 were recorded as cyber security incidents that necessitated investigations. … more than 4000 or in other words more than half of the people who reached out to us, reached out to seek guidance to prevent or detect a potential cyber incident. Potentially, we have helped more that 4000 of our citizens to stay away from being victimized of cyber fraud,” the Acting Director-General disclosed.
Source: ABC News
