By Eyasu Zekarias

A report from the Information Network Security Administration (INSA) through the “National Cyber   Security Awareness Survey” shows that awareness of Ethiopians with regards to technology and cyber security is very low.

According to the scientific process, 6156 users were surveyed and the results which were announced on October 30, 2023 revealed that only 35% of citizens had adequate knowledge, but not to the degree that was to be regarded as enough.

By way of simple definition, a cyber attack is the deliberate use of malicious software against unauthorized computer systems, infrastructure and networks to exploit data and disrupt services.

As reports show, in Ethiopia from July 2023 to September 2023, in a space of three months, 2556 cyber attacks were carried out.

According to Solomon Soka, Director of INSA, “The website, which accounts for the largest share of the attacks in the quarter, made 764 attack attempts. This showed a 33 percent increase compared to the previous quarter.”

Hacking attacks ranked second, with 669 attempts. The administration stated that there were 590 cyber-attacks aimed at disrupting infrastructure. Nonetheless, INSA announced that 97.7 percent of the attacks which have seen an increase, have been blocked.

The alleged attack related to mobile banking was 1110 and as INSA revealed, studies are being conducted to assess the damage made.

Kaspersky Global Research, which studies cyber-espionage campaigns, major malware, ransomware and underground cyber-crime trends around the world, showed in 2023 alone, Ethiopia witnessed about 18,000 attacks and 30,000 ransomware. These attacks are reported to have the ability to take down the online services of entities, blocking users and clients from accessing them, sometimes for hours and up to days or weeks.

Cyber crime cost the world $8 trillion annually,  $667 billion a month and $154 billion a week in 2023, according to cybersecurity ventures.