CYBER CRIME & CYBER SECURITY TRENDS IN AFRICA 8 Over the past decade, mobile phone networks have transformed communications in Africa. The ubiquity of mobile phones has allowed African communications networks to leapfrog the entire landline generation of development and go directly to the digital age.8 However, the steady rise of mobile malware that mainly targets Android systems is concerning given that 89% of the smartphone market share in Africa runs on that platform.9 For example, according to Symantec data, more than one out of every seven mobile devices in Nigeria is currently infected with mobile malware. Mobile Vulnerabilities by Operating System, Global TT    Vulnerabilities on the iOS platform have accounted for the greatest number of mobile vulnerabilities in recent years, with research often fueled by the interest to jail-break devices or gain unauthorized access to install malware. 2013 100% 90 82 84 84 70 60 50 40 TT    The number of Android malware families added in 2015 grew by 6 percent, 30 compared with the 20 percent growth in 2014. 20 13 10 11 16 1 350 277 200 71 50 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Cumulative Global Android Mobile Malware Variants TT    The volume of Android variants increased by 40 percent in 2015, compared with 29 percent growth in the previous year. 16 13,783 14 THOUSAND 12 9,839 10 7,612 8 6 4,350 4 2 567 2011 2012 2013 9 <1% <1% Blackberry OS 1 <1% Windows Phone 2014 2015 And while it may seem like a far away concept, the Internet of Things (IoT) also holds great potential and promise for Africa. Because the Continent is leap-frogging infrastructure-reliant communications, it will be able to adopt IoT solutions far more easily. For instance, in South Africa smart meters are already being installed to measure energy usage. And in Rwanda, they are connecting SIM cards to Point-of-Sale terminals to isolated areas to accommodate the use of credit cards payments.11 The applications for IoT technology in Africa are only limited by ones own imagination. One innovative use of IoT technology is being used to protect the endangered Black Rhinoceroses in eastern and central Africa from poachers. The technology includes an RFID chip embedded into the Rhino’s horn and an ankle monitor which pinpoints the animals location as well as an alert if the horn is ever removed from the animal. This IoT technology can also be used to monitor the Rhino’s vitals. However, as the main component of IoT involves content sharing among relevant platforms, data security, privacy, and risks of hacking will be of paramount concern.12 Symantec saw many proof-of-concept and real-world attacks globally last year, identifying serious vulnerabilities in cars, medical devices, and more. Manufacturers need to prioritize security to reduce the risk of serious personal, economic, and social consequences. 10 11 8 Android 4 Africa also leads the world in money transfers using mobile phones, with 14% of all Africans receiving money through mobile transfers.10 And with some of the world’s largest mobile money transfer services, such as Kenya’s Mpesa, cyber criminals will continue to heavily target mobile devices in Africa. 174 150 100 iOS 295 231 250 2015 80 Cumulative Global Android Mobile Malware Families 300 2014 http://www.pewglobal.org/2015/04/15/cell-phones-in-africa-communicationlifeline/ https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prAE25737515 12 UNCTAD Information Economy Report 2015 http://africanbusinessmagazine.com/sectors/infrastructure/will-africa-take-leadinternet-things/ http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/iot-technology-may-be-the-key-to-protectingour-wildlife