Cybersecurity for African SMEs: Practical Guide 2024

Threats targeting African SMEs

Cyberattacks no longer target only large companies. SMEs have become prime targets because they're often less protected. In Africa, the most common threats are phishing (fraudulent emails), ransomware (data encryption for ransom), and password attacks.

The average cost of a cyberattack for an SME is estimated between €10,000 and €50,000. Not counting loss of customer trust and reputation damage.

10 essential best practices

1. Use strong, unique passwords. 2. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA). 3. Update your software regularly. 4. Train your employees on risks. 5. Back up your data daily.

6. Encrypt sensitive data. 7. Use a VPN for remote work. 8. Install firewall and antivirus. 9. Limit access rights to strict necessity. 10. Prepare an incident response plan.

GDPR compliance

If you process data from European or Canadian residents, GDPR compliance is mandatory. This involves: explicit consent, right of access and deletion, breach notification, and DPO designation. At Altis, all our solutions are designed GDPR-compliant from the start.