Interpol: South Africa leads Africa in ransomware detections
Government and security experts say South Africans must stay alert online every day, as ransomware and password-stealing malware keep targeting people and businesses.
South Africans are being told to keep their guard up online, even though Cybersecurity Awareness Month has now ended. The Citizen reported that criminals are still going after ordinary users with scam messages, stolen identities, dodgy links and deepfake content.
South Africa a continental hotspot
A 2026 Interpol assessment of cyber threats in Africa puts South Africa at 92% of the continent’s ransomware detections. Experts say these attacks usually start well before any ransom demand appears. Criminals often get in with stolen passwords, malware that quietly collects login details, or devices that have not been updated, including routers and VPNs.
Security company Fortinet has also reported a sharp rise in so-called infostealer malware. It works silently on an infected device and collects saved passwords, banking information and active login sessions. South Africa made up 43.6% of the exploitable weaknesses found across Africa in 2025. Attackers are now sometimes using newly disclosed software flaws within a day or two.
Government says it is a shared responsibility
The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies and the Film and Publication Board said online safety cannot be limited to one month of campaigning. They stressed that protecting data is not only a job for government, technology specialists or the police, and that every internet user has a part to play.
The department warned that small, everyday slips can lead to fraud and financial loss. Examples include clicking on a suspicious link, giving out a one-time PIN (OTP), or using the same weak password on several accounts. It also said criminals tend to exploit human error rather than technical weaknesses, which makes awareness a strong form of protection.
In the department’s words, “cybersecurity is everyone’s responsibility, every day.”
What this means for you
The advice from the department and the experts is practical and mostly free:
- Use strong passwords and avoid repeating them across accounts.
- Switch on two-factor or multi-factor authentication wherever it is offered.
- Never share your OTP with anyone.
- Verify a message, or the person asking for money, before you respond or pay.
- Think before clicking on links.
- Keep your phone, computer, router and software up to date.
- Do not save work logins on shared devices.
Businesses face the same risks as individuals. The experts say that updating software quickly and using multi-factor authentication are among the best defences against attacks that begin with a stolen login.
This story is based on reporting by The Citizen.
