Check Point’s Lionel Dartnall highlights Ethiopia’s economic transition alongside increasing cyber risks.

Ethiopia has consistently occupied the top spot as the most vulnerable country to malware players, a cyber security expert shares his insight why this might be.

Check Point Software Technologies recently released its Global Threat Index for February 2025, flagging Ethiopia at the top spot globally, again.

At 134 million people, it is the second largest nation by population – behind Nigeria with 236 million – and hosts the African Union headquarters.

Lionel Dartnall, country manager, Southern African Development Community (SADC) at Check Point Software Technologies said: “Despite it being among the fastest growing economies in the world, Ethiopia is in transition from being dominated by state owned enterprises to a mixed market economy.

“Like many African countries, transitioning to digital to boost its social and economic development, its institutions are vulnerable to cyber-attack.”

While figures for Ethiopia are difficult to find, the 2021 Africa Cyber Threat Assessment Report estimated the financial impact of cyber crime in Africa at over $4 billion.

“The challenge has only grown in volume, impact, and complexity since then,” Dartnall said.

Dartnall advised businesses and governments to back up their data, be proactive, train employees on cyber crime and keep their systems up to date.