Don’t be Caught Unaware: A Ransomware Primer with a Specific Focus on Africa

Abstract

Ransomware attacks have become the fastest growing and most serious type of cybercrime. A ransomware attack does not only capture victims’ data, but also prevents victims from accessing their own data until a ransom has been paid. The prevention of and recovery from a ransomware attack have become a major concern for governments and organizations. This paper presents guidelines for institutions to secure their systems from ransomware attacks and to put steps in place for recovery if their systems have been attacked. The human is often the weak link in allowing an intrusion into a network. African countries are at even greater risk because their populations are often not sufficiently trained nor aware of cybersecurity risks.