Mozambique’s National Institute of Information and Communication Technologies (INTIC) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) have launched a nationwide campaign in Maputo to combat ransomware and establish cybersecurity standards across public and private sectors.
The initiative aims to educate citizens and institutions about mounting digital hazards, encouraging the proactive adoption of robust security measures.
Ransomware attacks are increasingly targeting critical national infrastructure, financial institutions, public bodies, and the health and education sectors by systematically blocking access to vital operational systems while demanding financial ransom payments for data recovery, warned INTIC.
Emerging cyber threats pose a severe and growing risk to the nation, with malicious use of artificial intelligence, deepfakes, online information manipulation, and coordinated disinformation campaigns compounding network vulnerabilities, said Lourino Chemane, president of the board of directors of INTIC.
Individuals and organisations must step up the reporting of cyber incidents, including ransomware, phishing, compromised accounts, and electronic fraud schemes, according to Antonio De Vivo, head of the UNODC in Mozambique.
Cyber criminals frequently exploit basic security oversights and a general lack of user awareness, said De Vivo.
“Each one of us has a role to play in building a safer digital environment, and we should all actively participate in this campaign.”
Addressing these challenges requires strengthening Mozambique's national prevention, detection, response, and recovery frameworks through tighter collaboration between government, the private sector, academia, and civil society.
To build a resilient cybersecurity culture, INTIC and the UNODC are rolling out educational materials, instructional videos, and public safety guidance detailing practical steps to prevent and respond to ransomware.
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