By: Maltiti Sayida Sadick
Ghana earned continental recognition at the Third African Forum on Cybercrime and Electronic Evidence as Mr. Dunstan Guba, a leading cybersecurity expert with the Ghana Police Service, delivered a high-impact presentation on the evolving ransomware threat facing Africa.
The forum, organized by the Council of Europe’s Cybercrime Programme Office, the European Union, and the Government of Kenya, brought together investigators, prosecutors, judges, policymakers, and cybersecurity professionals from across Africa—the largest cybersecurity-focused gathering in the region.
During his presentation, Mr. Guba explained that ransomware has rapidly evolved from simple file-encryption attacks into sophisticated “double extortion” operations. Modern attackers now quietly infiltrate networks, steal sensitive data over weeks, and use the threat of public exposure to pressure victims. In many cases, encrypting systems is no longer necessary.
He warned that African governments, hospitals, telecoms, schools, and law enforcement systems have become high-value targets because of the sensitive data they hold. Unlike earlier financially motivated attacks, today’s ransomware campaigns focus on leverage—damaging public trust, embarrassing institutions, and threatening national stability through data leaks and media pressure.
Mr. Guba emphasized that restoring systems from backups does not end the threat once data has been stolen. Attackers increasingly contact journalists, senior officials, and board members directly, using public countdowns and exposure tactics to force negotiations.
Highlighting Ghana’s growing leadership in cybercrime response, Mr. Guba pointed to investments in advanced digital forensics, malware analysis, memory forensics, blockchain tracing, and darknet intelligence. He noted that the Ghana Police Service is strengthening cooperation between investigators, prosecutors, and international partners, positioning the country as a regional leader in cybercrime investigations.
He also called on organizations to report attacks early and preserve digital evidence rather than wiping compromised systems, stressing that proper evidence handling is critical for identifying and prosecuting attackers who often operate from outside Africa.
Concluding his remarks, Mr. Guba urged stronger regional collaboration, faster cross-border data sharing, and improved legal frameworks for electronic evidence. He described ransomware as a strategic threat to public trust and national security, calling on African nations to act collectively.
Mr. Dunstan Guba serves as Cyber Intelligence Lead at the Ghana Police Service and lectures at its Detective Training Academy. He leads high-impact cyber investigations, collaborates with global partners including INTERPOL, the FBI, and Meta Platforms, and hosts Cybercrime Alert on Ghana Police TV to promote public awareness and digital safety.
