Kenya’s online accounts are among the most breached in Africa, with 5.8 million transgressions recorded over the 20 years leading up to March 2023. This figure represents 0.03 percent of the overall global violations, according to data from Netherlands-based virtual private networks firm, Surfshark.
Surge in Breaches
The number of breaches in Kenya has seen a dramatic increase in the past year, escalating from 4,701 in the first quarter of the previous year to a staggering 78,663 in the first three months of this year. A breach occurs when an online account is accessed without the owner’s permission, which can happen for various reasons, including public data breaches, weak passwords, phishing, or malware unknowingly installed on devices.
Decade of Vulnerabilities
Over the past decade, Kenya experienced a total of 2.2 million breaches, with 4,035 incidents per 100,000 people. The most significant wave of breaches occurred in June 2020 when the Wattpad database, a platform for user-generated stories, was hacked. This incident, which involved over 270 million records, led to 727,218 account breaches.
Continental Comparison
According to Surfshark’s data, South Sudan tops the list of African countries with the most breached online accounts over the past 20 years, with 89.4 million breaches. South Africa follows with 34.6 million breaches. Other notable mentions include Egypt (22.6 million), Nigeria (19.3 million), Morocco (16 million), and Algeria (10.4 million). Tunisia is tied with Kenya at 5.8 million, while Ghana and DR Congo recorded four million and 3.5 million account transgressions, respectively.
Implications of Breaches
“Although Africa’s share of global breaches is relatively low, the potential harm is significant. These breaches pose serious privacy, financial security, and national safety risks, calling attention to the urgent need for robust data protection measures,” reads the report from Surfshark.
Need for Improved Data Protection
The report underscores the critical need for enhanced data protection measures to safeguard users’ privacy and security. With the increasing number of breaches, it is imperative for individuals and organizations to adopt stronger security practices, such as using complex passwords, enabling multi-factor authentication, and being vigilant against phishing attacks and malware.
Conclusion
As Kenya grapples with the rising tide of online account breaches, the country must prioritize cybersecurity initiatives to protect its digital landscape. Ensuring robust data protection will be essential to mitigate the risks associated with these breaches and secure the nation’s online presence.
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