Ghana emerged as a focal point of cyber threats in West Africa for the first half of 2024, experiencing a surge in Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks targeting various industries, primarily computer services and telecommunications. According to NETSCOUT’s 1H2024 DDoS Threat Intelligence Report, Ghana witnessed 4,753 attacks during this period. Computer services bore the brunt with 2,759 incidents, followed by wireless telecommunications carriers (110 incidents) and even full-service restaurants. The largest attack in Ghana reached a peak bandwidth of 314.25 Mbps, highlighting the scale of the cyber threat faced by the country.
Rising Cyber Threats Across West Africa
While Ghana topped the list, other West African countries also faced a substantial number of cyberattacks. Guinea, known for its resilient economy driven by agriculture and mining, ranked second with 2,918 incidents, predominantly targeting wireless telecommunications carriers through TCP-type attacks. Nigeria, a major digital hub in the region, came in third with 2,721 recorded attacks. In Nigeria, the attacks targeted computer services (867 incidents) and even extended to local beauty salons (206 incidents), with data processing companies also affected.
Bryan Hamman, NETSCOUT’s regional director for Africa, noted the growing complexity of DDoS attacks, especially in Nigeria, where over 23 different attack vectors were observed. These attacks ranged from TCP and CLDAP (Connection-less Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) to Domain Name System (DNS) amplification. This diversity and sophistication indicate an evolving threat landscape with cybercriminals employing a wider array of tools to disrupt services and extract sensitive data.
Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia: Similar Attack Patterns
Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia recorded similar cyberattack frequencies, with 1,598 and 1,515 incidents respectively. As in Ghana and Guinea, wireless telecommunications carriers were the primary targets in both countries, with TCP-based attacks being the most prevalent. The targeting of critical infrastructure, such as telecommunications, aligns with NETSCOUT’s global findings, where attacks on the telecom sector have seen a significant rise—up by 34% from the latter half of 2023.
This increase in telecom-focused attacks underscores cybercriminals’ intent to disrupt essential communication services, causing widespread operational and economic impacts. In Benin, Senegal, Mali, and Cameroon, wireless telecommunications were similarly the prime targets, with Cameroon notably recording one of the largest DDoS attacks in West Africa, peaking at 118.05 Gbps.
The Broader African Cybersecurity Landscape
Despite the increased threats across West Africa, the region has not yet been as heavily targeted as Morocco in North Africa or South Africa in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. South Africa, for instance, consistently ranks among the top five most targeted countries within the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region, driven by its advanced digital infrastructure and prominence in the financial services sector.
However, the West African cyber landscape shows marked variances in the types of attacks and targets across different nations. This underscores the necessity for localized cybersecurity strategies to protect the distinct digital ecosystems within each country. Hamman emphasized the importance of adapting cybersecurity defenses to each nation’s specific threat landscape, given the variability of attack types and their potential impacts on both critical and emerging digital infrastructures.
Strategic Response and Future Preparedness
NETSCOUT’s latest Threat Intelligence Report provides valuable insights into the West African threat landscape, helping organizations bolster their cybersecurity defenses. By understanding the evolving threat patterns, companies and government agencies in the region can implement proactive measures to safeguard their networks and prevent costly service disruptions.
Hamman stressed the need for West African businesses to adopt comprehensive, regionally tailored cybersecurity strategies to address these escalating threats. With cybercriminals increasingly targeting vital infrastructure, including computer services and telecoms, countries across West Africa must prioritize resilience to protect their digital economies.
This focused and strategic approach will be crucial for West African nations as they navigate a rapidly digitalizing world. Proactive measures—ranging from enhanced security protocols to partnerships with international cybersecurity firms—can help ensure that the region’s digital future is secure, resilient, and primed for growth.
