Data Story: 10.23% rise in the number of students registered for the certificate of secondary education examinations this year

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35,459 candidates registered for the CSE exams in the academic year 2022/23, with 22,920 males and 12,539 females. Last year, 32,167 candidates registered, with 21,799 males and 10,368 females.

Writer: Emmanuel Bida Thomas

The Ministry of General Education and Instruction released the schedule for the 2022/23 Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) Examinations last week, which will take place from March 20 to March 31, 2023.

According to Awut Deng Acuil, Minister of General Education and Instruction, 35,459 candidates have registered for the 2022/23 academic year exams. There are 12,539 females and 22,920 males among them.

However, compared to the previous year, when 32,167 candidates enrolled, including 21,799 males and 10,368 females, this year’s total number of candidates registered represents a 10.23% percent decrease.

Male candidates increased by 1,121 from 21,799 in the 2021/22 exams, and female candidates also increased by 2,171 from 10,368 the previous year.

YearMalesFemalesTotal
2020/2122,72411,63834,362
2021/2221,79910,36832,167
2022/2322,92012,53935,459
Table showing number of CSE candidates for the last three years

Awut Deng Acuil, Minister of General Education and Instruction, explained that the small number of candidates this academic year is due to security issues in certain regions of South Sudan, the adverse effects of COVID-19, which caused extended school closures, and the destructive floods.

S/NoState/AreaNumber of CandidatesNumber of Schools
Abyei Administrative Area2585
Jonglei State1,39820
Lakes State1,90115
Unity State77720
Pibor Administrative Area421
Eastern Equatoria State2,51629
Ruweng Administrative Area1,52319
Western Equatoria State1,29429
Central Equatoria State13,942135
Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal State2,02828
Western Bahr-el-Ghazal State3,07526
Warrap State1,82628
Upper Nile State1,87328
IDP Juba3,00415
Table showing number of Candidates and Schools by State and Administrative Areas
Document showing statistics of students for this year’s CSE

Conclusion:

This data analysis indicates that secondary education in South Sudan is on the rise, despite a slight overall decrease in the number of registered candidates. The increase in male and female candidates, while remaining lower than the male candidate count, is a positive sign that more females are pursuing secondary education and have access to the necessary resources. This could indicate a shift in attitudes towards female education in South Sudan and an overall increase in investment in education. However, further research is needed to better understand the situation in South Sudan, particularly in terms of educational opportunities and resources available to students.

Fact-check: A massive figure sightings over Juba and Rumbek proven false

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Claims that a massive figure was seen in the sky above Juba or Rumbek in South Sudan are false, as a reverse image search shows that the image was actually taken in Zambia in 2017.

Writer: Emmanuel Bida Thomas

Social media has been abuzz with claims that a massive figure resembling the evil ‘dementors’ from the Harry Potter series was seen in the sky above Juba, South Sudan or Rumbek, a town in South Sudan’s Lakes State. 

The image was shared by several Facebook users here, here, here, and here.

Facebook post claiming that the image is from Rumbek.

However, a reverse image search shows that this is not the case. The image has actually been circulating on social media since March 2017, and reports suggest that it was taken above the Mukuba Mall in the city of Kitwe in north-central Zambia.

Reported by the Uk’s The Sun, Daily Star, FZN, and Yahoo News.

The claims that the image is from South Sudan are entirely unfounded. The image has been debunked multiple times since it first appeared in 2017, and it has been widely reported that it was taken in Zambia.

It is important to note that social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter can be hotbeds of misinformation and fake news, especially during times of crisis or uncertainty. Verifying any claims before sharing them with others is crucial in such situations. One way to do this is by conducting a reverse image search, which can quickly reveal an image’s original source and help debunk any false claims.

In this case, a reverse image search shows that the image in question is not from South Sudan, but rather from Zambia. It is not uncommon for images to be misattributed or taken out of context on social media, so it is important to be vigilant when sharing information online.

Conclusion:

Claims that a massive figure resembling a ‘dementor’ from the Harry Potter series was seen in the sky above Juba or Rumbek in South Sudan are false. The image has been circulating on social media since 2017, and it was actually taken above the Mukuba Mall in Kitwe, Zambia.

Fight misinformation on mainstream and alternative media by not being a victim of fake news. Refrain from sharing content you are unsure about or don’t know where it comes from to prevent spreading false information. For more information on our fact-checking process, visit https://211check.org/ or send us a WhatsApp message at +211 917 298 255 to present a claim. Our team will fact-check it and respond promptly. #FactsMatter

Fact-check: Rumor of an earthquake in South Sudan debunked; no seismic activity recorded

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A rumor claiming that South Sudan would experience an earthquake worse than the one in Turkey was circulated on social media, but there was no credible evidence to support it.

Writer: Emmanuel Bida Thomas

On the night of February 27th, a rumor began circulating on social media platforms, including Facebook and WhatsApp, that South Sudan was about to experience an earthquake worse than the one that hit Turkey. The rumor that was shared here and here instructed people to stay outside of their buildings to avoid harm. However, there was no earthquake in South Sudan last night, and no credible media reports suggest otherwise.

Screenshot of a Facebook post with the false claim

It is crucial to rely on credible sources of information and avoid spreading rumors that can lead to dangerous situations. In this case, a South Sudanese researcher quickly dismissed the rumors, stating that there was no threat of an earthquake and that the rumors were unfounded. People should always look to official sources for information during times of crisis, such as government agencies and reputable news outlets.

“People should panic only with scientifically informed communique regarding any natural disaster,” M. Ajang Mathiang, Research Assistant at Telolink Technology, said in a Facebook post.

There were no significant confirmed earthquakes in or near South Sudan in the past 24 hours, according to Earthquake Track and VolcanoDiscovery.

South Sudan’s recent tremors

3.4- the strength of tremor felt in Juba on February 25, 2022 on the Richter scale.

4.5- the strength of the tremor felt in Torit on 25 February 2022 on the Rickter scale.

3.8- the strength of tremor felt in Juba in December 2021 on the Richter scale

7.5- the strength of tremor felt in South Sudan in 1990

Can an earthquake be predicted or told beforehand?

According to various sources here, here, and here, earthquakes cannot be accurately predicted. Seismologists can only estimate where and when earthquakes may be likely to occur by calculating probabilities and forecasts based on past seismic activity425.

However, seismologists use seismographs to detect and record earthquakes as they happen. They also study fault lines to see how ancient earthquakes have shaped the Earth’s crust.

Rumors and false information can spread quickly on social media, causing panic and fear. It is essential to verify the accuracy of such information before spreading it to others, especially during times of crisis. In this case, the rumor caused unnecessary fear and anxiety among the South Sudanese population, who spent the night outside their homes anticipating an earthquake that never occurred.

Conclusion:

The rumor that South Sudan was about to experience a devastating earthquake worse than the one that hit Turkey last night is false. No credible media reports suggest otherwise. It is crucial to rely on verified sources of information and avoid spreading rumors that can cause unnecessary fear and panic. By doing so, we can help ensure that people stay safe and informed during times of crisis.

Fight misinformation on mainstream and alternative media by not being a victim of fake news. Refrain from sharing content you are unsure about or don’t know where it comes from to prevent spreading false information. For more information on our fact-checking process, visit https://211check.org/ or send us a WhatsApp message at +211 917 298 255 to present a claim. Our team will fact-check it and respond promptly. #FactsMatter.

Data Story: Over 260 abductees reunited with their families between 2021 and 2023 in Jonglei and GPAA

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Inter-communal clashes in South Sudan have been involving children and women abductions, an act the UN strongly condemns as ‘horrific’. Fortunately, efforts to locate and reunite the abductees with their families have been effective in the last three years between Jonglei State and Greater Pibor. 

Writer: Ghai Aketch 

Armed inter-communal violence in some parts of South Sudan has left families separated due to abductions.  The act has been targeting vulnerable children and women. This is perceived as a violation of human rights according to several condemnation issued by the UN. 

The advocacy groups and local governments have been playing their role in locating and recovering abductees, and fortunately many have reunited with their families. 

This data story envelopes the available records of the recovered abductees who are mainly children and women, from 2021 to 2023. 

In this period, a total of 266 abductees have been reunited with their loved ones in 2021 to 2023. Thanks to the cooperation between humanitarian agencies, local governments of Jonglei State and Greater Pibor Administrative Area, GPAA.

But  more than 2,000 children and women were abducted in a period of six months from around July 2022 to January 2023 according to authorities in Jonglei State and GPAA. 

However, out of this figure, GPAA claims that nearly 2,000 members are missing in its community, a claim Jonglei State refutes as an inflated figure. 

The chart above shows number of abductees recovered in each year

Also in 2023, from the chart above, 123 abductees of Pibor origin were recovered in Jonglei State by efforts of government and humanitarian agencies. This figure is the highest in the three-year period. 

It is also followed by 118 who were recovered in 2021. However, 2022 had the least number of recovered abductees, having only 25 reunited with their families. 

From 2021 to 2022, Jonglei State returned  to Pibor 95.86 percent of the total number in the period. That is equal to 255 recovered abductees. Additionally, in the same duration, Pibor returned to Jonglei 4.14 percent, an equivalent of eleven (11)  abductees. 

 Conclusion

The United Nations agencies and the local governments in Jonglei and Greater Pibor Administrative Area have collaboratively worked in advocating for the recovery of abductees. 

This cooperation saw recovery of these 266 vulnerable children and women which is lauded by human rights activists as a positive advancement towards upholding human dignity. 

The reports from the two communities point out that they have more missing members. This has been upping the call for further engagement with the chiefs to locate the allegedly abducted children and women. 

Social Media Health Report, January 2023

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Writer: Emmanuel Bida Thomas

The current social media health report is based on data gathered from January 1st to January 31st, 2023. It examines the most prevalent conversations on social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Twitter. The study also evaluates the prevalence of hate speech, false information, and incitement to violent content shared by both South Sudanese online and those abroad related to South Sudan. The report also looks at the growth and landscape of digital and social media in South Sudan.

The report analyses the activity of the top Facebook pages, groups, Instagram accounts, and Twitter handles using tools such as CrowdTangle, Vicinitas, and other monitoring methods. The key topics featured in the report are determined by their level of engagement and attention received on social media.

Throughout the reporting period in January 2023, several social media accounts posted an average of 2 times per day, with over a thousand posts published.

Key Findings and Issues:

  1. 13 people were killed and five others wounded in an attack in the Abyei region on 3rd January 2023

According to a statement from the United Nations Interim Security Forces for Abyei (UNISFA), a combined armed group of Nuer and Twic Dinka launched an early morning attack on Rumamer village, 15 kilometres south of Abyei Box, killing thirteen people and injuring five others (all Ngok Dinkas), while burning down 27 houses.

The news surprised social media, and users expressed sympathy for the souls who died while also sending condolences.

Oil-rich Abyei has been a source of contention since South Sudan’s independence in July 2011. The two countries have yet to reach an agreement on border mapping.

Screenshot of a viral social media live video by Radio Tamazuj

  1. Graduation of over 3,000 necessary unified forces in Unity State on 15th January 2023

On January 15, 2023, at least 3,000 unified police forces graduated from the Kaljaak training centre in Unity State. Tut Gatluak Manime, the Presidential Advisor on Security Affairs, presided over the graduation and urged the police officers to protect civilians and their property.

Discussions on this development were centred around the graduation delay and the need to cater to the forces’ welfare.

A Screenshot of a viral post by SSBC News

  1. After years of feuding, singers Mary Boyoi and Lady Kola reconcile.

Mary Boyoi and Lady Kola are two South Sudanese female artists who have been feuding over some sort of disagreement. Following Promoter Kay Two’s announcement that they would perform at a Together for Peace Concert in Aweil, Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal State, Mary Boyoi stated that she would boycott the concert if Lady Kola were present.

A discussion ensued online, particularly about the importance of not having such a difference since they were attending a peace concert. The organisers had to sit both singers down, which resulted in reconciliation, and they did, indeed, perform on the same stage at the peace concert.

A Screenshot of a viral post by Hot in Juba

  1. Alijoma Mabil and John Frog. What went wrong?

Alijoma Mabil and John Frog, two South Sudanese male artists and their fans, began an online exchange that appeared normal but contained elements of hate speech. In early January, they called each other out on social media in several posts.

A Screenshot of a viral post by Alijoma Mabil

  1. Response to remarks by Kalisto Lado on Clubhouse

In his capacity as a leader of the Bari Community Association, the former mayor of the Juba City Council, Kalisto Lado, has spoken out against the brutal slaughter of members of his community in Mangalla at the hands of cattle herders. He claimed that the herders had the goal of “occupying” land in Central Equatoria as part of their plan.

Clubhouse, an audio platform, was used by the ethnic group of herders living in the diaspora to respond condescendingly to the allegations against them.

Screenshot of a Clubhouse recording doing the rounds online

  1. The #SSOT Twitter hashtag

Using Vicinitas, a tool that tracks and analyses real-time historical tweets, tracking the hashtag #SSOT reveals no major hate speech-related or disinformation terms among the engagements on the Twitter platform during the reporting period.

Word Cloud 

The type of content being shared consists primarily of major retweets, and the majority are text-based.

Types of posts and media

Analysis:

The social media trends in South Sudan reflect a mix of reactions to current events and discussions on various topics. The attack in the Abyei region, the graduation of the unified police forces, and the reconciliation of Mary Boyoi and Lady Kola were met with sympathy and support. At the same time, the online exchange between Alijoma Mabil and John Frog contained elements of hate speech. The former mayor of Juba City Council, Kalisto Lado, spoke out against the brutal slaughter of his community. Still, the ethnic group of herders living in the diaspora used the Clubhouse platform to respond condescendingly.

The analysis of the #SSOT hashtag on Twitter showed no major hate speech or disinformation-related terms during the reporting period. However, the spread of misinformation and disinformation remains an issue of concern. The discussions on social media reflect the need for unity, peace, and the welfare of citizens and the concern over unresolved disputes and conflicts in the region.

Recommendations:

To improve social media discourse in South Sudan, it is crucial for users to adopt responsible and ethical practices. Recommendations include promoting respectful and peaceful discussions, verifying the accuracy of the information, using social media to build bridges and foster dialogue, encouraging critical thinking and fact-checking, and promoting media literacy and digital citizenship. By following these guidelines, users can contribute to a more informed and peaceful online community in South Sudan.

Data Story: 12.34% rise in the number of pupils registered for the certificate of primary education examinations this year.

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The previous year, 53,220 enrolled for the exams comprising 31,232 males and 21,988 females. This year, 60,714 candidates, 34,505 males and 26,209 females, registered.

Writer: Emmanuel Bida Thomas

This week, pupils across South Sudan will write their Certificate of Primary Education (CPE) examinations for the academic year 2022. 

The Ministry of General Education and Instruction says that a total of 60,714 candidates, 34,505 males and 26,209 females, have dully registered for the examination, which began on Monday, February 13, 2023.

However, as compared to the previous year, when 53,220 candidates, including 31,232 males and 21,988 females, registered, this year’s number shows a 12.34 per cent increase in the number of candidates.

Male candidates increased by 3,273 from 31,232 in the 2021/22 exams, and female candidates also grew by 4,221 from 21,988 the previous year.

The increase in male candidates accounts for 9.49% of the increase, while the increase in female candidates accounts for 16.11% of the increase.

YearMalesFemalesTotal
2017/1826,53315,46041,993
2018/1930,48018,00048,480
2019/2034,82521,96256,787
2020/2132,54920,69362,362
2021/2231,23221,98853,220
2022/2334,50526,20960,714

Table showing statistics of CPE candidates for the past six years

The presented data indicates that there has been a 12.34% increase in the number of candidates registered for the Certificate of Primary Education (CPE) examinations in South Sudan for the academic year 2022, in comparison to the previous year. Out of a total of 60,714 registered candidates, 34,505 are male, and 26,209 are female. Notably, the percentage increase in male candidates stands at 9.49%, while that of female candidates is 16.11%. The South Sudan National Examinations Council (SSNEC) has demonstrated exceptional efforts in registering a significant number of candidates this year, notwithstanding challenges such as insecurity and feeding difficulties in some regions of the country, as noted by the Minister for General Education and Instruction, Awut Deng Acuil.

Explainer: What is a deep fake and how to spot it?

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Deepfake is an application of AI technology that can manipulate videos, images, and audio of real people. It has been used for hate speech and misinformation, as well as to impersonate people’s likenesses.

Writer: Ghai Aketch

Have you ever wondered when digital content looking authentic is flagged as fake? It is indeed possible with the rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology that is a sophisticated spread of disinformation and hate speech. 

Deepfake is, therefore a product of such advanced tech. It’s an application of sophisticated computer AI to manipulate videos, images or audio of real people. Its name is derived from Deep Learning, a type of AI system.  

The targeted images are altered by deep fake software to generate exact images of the person, and  synthetic character is produced. The output of the manipulated footage turns real people to say words they never spoke or act as the programmer wants. 

The deepfake videos were initially targeting celebrities to ‘feature’ in explicit clips. The explicit contents would sequentially promote clicks on the websites. 

The programmers download random pornographic videos and swap faces of prominent people with the video characters which to great extent looks original.

So, given the possibility to manipulate images of real people is worrying according to  researches when  political or religious leaders are targeted to ‘utter’ hate speech towards other groups. It has become a great source for hate speech and misinformation propagation. 

Although no reported clips of deepfake involving South Sudanese prominent figures, concerns should be placed on alertness on the dangers this technology could cause in the politically  fragile state should it happen. 

When used in a political setting, the image-altering emerging trends could cause detrimental cybersecurity and society threats according to Security Week.

The most recent example of a deepfake footage is of the US sitting president, Joe Biden. 

The footage in circulation was manipulated and appeared ridiculing transgender women, by allegedly saying, “you will never be a real woman.”

Interestingly, he had earlier supported transgender Americans before the footage emerged. It was hard though to distinguish it as fake. But with keen reference to past events can wake your curiosity. 

The United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs(UNODA)  in 2019 to 2021 held a series of multi-stakeholders sessions highlighting that  misuse of ICT may ‘harm international peace and security.’ 

But fast-advancing technology has eased this machine learning process. That’s to say anyone with a computer and internet access can, with ease, generate deepfake contents. 

Also, its emerging  user-friendly interface has made AI-altered products more available on the internet today. 

However, countering that, developers  have reverse engineered the deepfake processes. Several deepfake debunking softwares such as, DeepTrace, Microsoft Video Authenticator and DuckDuckGoose are countering spread of disinformation through digital content verification. 

As much as deepfake is useful in the entertainment industry, it’s largely digressing into real crimes and insecurity for states. 

How to detect deepfake

Emergence of new tech has made almost anything possible. But people tend to be baffled  while sifting genuine information from deepfakes.

Fortunately, you can, without using deepfake detecting tools, try to spot the following in a computer-doctored footage.

How to spot deep fake

Additionally, being critical enough of digitally-generated content can do you better to detect certain flaws in deepfakes considering  coherence of speeches, or previous  events. 

For example, the recent Joe Biden deepfake which allegedly ‘ridiculed’ transgender women. But look, previously he had signed sex-marriage bill into law, saying that Americans have rights to choose whom they want to marry. 

Moreover, in the US transgender policies are upheld in some states including Washington D.C, where the government sits. So, such sudden inconsistencies can give you clear  hints  that that particular footage is fake.

It has come a time you should not always believe what you see according to an analytical report on deepfake emergence.  

In South Sudan, impersonation of people’s likenesses has been through the commonly easy-to-use celebrity photos swapping Apps. However, it’s simple to spot that such images are inauthentic looking at the skin tone and image orientation.

In conclusion,  deepfakes will keep increasing and grow complex according to available publications. But you need to be curious as deepfakes disseminate disinformation via altered images of powerful and famous personalities. 

Blog: The need for disability-inclusive tools to combat online disinformation

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Despite many fact-checking tools, online journalism must embrace inclusion. This requires inclusive digital security training for digital news companies and accessible fact-checking tools.

Writer: Nancy Marangu

The evolution of social media platforms has changed the dichotomy in which information is received and disseminated over time.

As a platform enabler, the internet has given birth to digital, also known as online journalism, which allows everyone to share information quickly. Digital journalism, a modern form of reporting in which editorial content is distributed via the internet, is continuing to transform journalism.

While we appreciate the rapid distribution of content, we must remember that fake news and misinformation continue to affect everyone, mainly persons with disabilities (PWDs). As a result, interventions for PWDs are required so that they can benefit equally from objective and accurate information.

As a result, it is necessary to:

To begin, news organisations must ensure that inclusive media verification tools are accessible and usable by people with disabilities during content distribution. This is because news organisations and digital platforms play a significant role in news distribution control and managing digital journalism collaboratively. This implies that information distributors can be as creative as possible in providing messages in various forms, including speech, while maintaining accessible websites.

Second, NewsCheck is being integrated into the information distribution platform. NewsCheck uses blockchain technology to provide credible scoring on information posted on various social media platforms. This necessitates that news organisations develop accessibility applications that PWDs can easily use to identify disinformation and investigate mechanisms for correcting false information.

Third, while using institutionally accessible websites, news organisations can incorporate Adblock Plus, a browser extension and application that blocks advertisements and websites via filtering lists. The filtering list protects users from malicious and disinformation-spreading websites.

Finally, according to Rand Corporation, 2022, Bot Sentinel is a platform designed to detect and track troll bots and untrustworthy Twitter accounts. Bot Sentinel analyses Twitter accounts, classifies information as trustworthy or untrustworthy and identifies bots using machine learning and artificial intelligence. Developers use the data they collect to investigate the impact of bots and their propaganda on discourse, as well as ways to combat the spread of bots and the information they spread. Untrustworthy accounts must be classified manually. Hundreds of tweets and retweets are reviewed during the review process. They may label an account untrustworthy if it has many followers and a high percentage of misleading and/or factually incorrect tweets. However, it is essential to note that most digital journalists share information on their Twitter platforms. While information is distributed, it is unfortunate that the owners of the companies conduct little or no continuous research to determine the population segments that access information through their platforms.

In conclusion, while there are many more fact-checking tools available, the need for online journalism to incorporate inclusion is critical. Moving forward, this will necessitate more inclusive digital security training for digital news organisations and intentional innovation in information fact-checking tools accessible and usable by people with disabilities.


This blog article was published as part of an assignment for the Empowering Fact-checking in South Sudan (EFiSS) Training Program by 211 Check.

Blog: Cybersecurity awareness and why it matters in South Sudan

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As South Sudan’s internet penetration grows, so do cyber threats such as cyberbullying, scamming, and hacking. Fortunately, a concern to curb this is taking shape through cybersecurity awareness—an effort from the government and nonprofit organisations.

Writer: Ghai Aketch

It’s your right to get access to the internet, given the contemporary environment of modernisation. But your rights can be your downfall if you aren’t extra cautious with your online interactions. It, therefore, comes with responsibility, discipline, and alertness to be secure on the internet. 

With internet adoption in South Sudan in recent years, many people have made money and lost it to online scammers. 

The country has three mobile network operators, with 3,885,484 users in 2022. Moreover, there are 12 internet service providers (ISPs) with a major market in Juba. Both ISPs and mobile internet users constituted 1.25 million in 2022, according to Data Reportal statistics.

South Sudan’s internet penetration rate stands at 10.9 per cent in 2022. But out of this figure, Facebook has nearly 500 thousand users. Bringing total social media users to 515 thousand in the country.

That has compelled the National Communications Authority and SafetyComm South Sudan to launch extensive cybersecurity awareness to curb growing cyber attacks on individuals’ social media pages, accounts and organisations. 

Lately, hackers have targeted internet users in the country, with most scams coming through e-business services, fake scholarships, grant applications and trickery links shared on social media. 

Cyber experts stress that South Sudanese netizens fall prey to scams that come to them through ‘fully funded’ scholarships and financial grants for business support but end up spending their own money on non-existing services.

Others lose thousands of dollars to non-existing car shipping companies that mimic real car-dealing websites overseas. 

Angel Atem, a South Sudanese netizen, lost her Facebook account to hackers earlier in October 2022. That implies she now has no control over her account, but the hackers have. They’ve been sending her friends’ links via inbox and asking for financial support in her name. 

“My Facebook account was hacked, and I don’t know what to do. I registered it with my sim card, but it has been changed, so I can’t log in again,” she said.

She is just one of the many other online users in the country who are only interested in employing curiosity while surfing the internet while clicking links that subsequently require their login details.

Another loophole cybersecurity experts caution netizens is having one password for a long time or having one password across their multiple internet accounts. 

“If someone tells you that they’re going to connect you to free MTN data, then you give them your password, that’s not facebook giving out your password; it’s you,” Ariik Robert, a cybersecurity expert working for SafetyComm South Sudan told the audience during a cybersecurity awareness campaign.

“So that’s why awareness is a key so that we tell you it’s a lie so that next time it comes your way, you will definitely know someone is trying to take over your account,” Robert explained. 

“Global cybersecurity awareness month, NCA will take multiple activities to raise awareness levels in our communities and build the capacity and empower the people to be resilient to mitigate cybersecurity attacks and to deal with them once they are attacked,” Unguec Stephan Kang, NCA Assistant Director Cybersecurity, said in October.

According to the NCA, the country must protect exposed internet users from scammers. One significant way to protect them is to increase digital literacy and creation awareness across the country.

But as a digital citizen, you have the responsibility to keep yourself and others secure, experts advise. 

Simple ways to protect yourself from hackers

  • Use dual-factor authentication on your cloud, email, social media and bank accounts. Two-factor authentication gives you control of the activity login of your accounts by sending your codes to your mobile phone or email.
  • Strong password, using a combination of characters such as; caps, lowe@, numbers, _ or # )
  • You should use a different password across all your internet accounts and keep it unchanged for a long time. If not, hackers can quickly gain access to your account by breaking the password.
  • Use anti-virus software on all your devices. That will offer more security against malware designed to attack you.
  • Not clicking suspicious links and entering your login credentials when it instructs you to do so. You’re about to be scammed should that link redirect for a login. Stop it! 
  • Changing passwords often, not using the same password across the accounts, creating extended passports, and not clicking links you don’t know. 

Robert reiterated that social media is very addictive; it has so much convenience with it, it’s entertaining-takes away so much boredom- these are threads hackers take advantage of, he warned. 

This blog post was published as part of the Fact-checking and Digital Rights Fellowship in the context of the Africa Digital Rights Fund with support from the Collaboration on International ICT Policy in East and Southern Africa (CIPESA). 

Blog: South Sudan must fortify its cyberspace as cybercrime attacks cost billions of dollars in losses globally

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Cyber attacks are one of the most dangerous phenomena haunting people worldwide. The attacks, aided by information technology infrastructure and actors, cause severe damage to the lives of people everywhere.

Writer: Ochaya Jackson

Cyber crime is committed through illegal attacks by entities or individuals using collective methods of knowledge, device and the internet to get unauthorised access to computer systems, networks and other information technology devices. 

Cyber-attacks are of various categories and take different dimensions depending on the attacker’s interests in the target. It combines techniques, skills, devices and the target’s vulnerability to accomplish a successful attack.

If they succeed in the attacks, data is compromised, devices are infected, and the victims are psychologically tortured as they are left with pain.

The cyber-attack actors are the crime organisations, the state, and the individual. The mission of the attack may differ, but it primarily is to harvest data from the targets that could yield millions or billions of dollars and information gathering.

There are many types of cyber-attacks, including phishing, SQL injection threat, man – in – the middle, cross-site scripting, distributed denial of service, password, AI-powered, drive, eavesdropping, ransomware, and so on.

These attacks are the most commonly used globally to commit cybercrime operations over the internet to compromise victims.

The illustration of phishing attack © AAG IT Company

Even though the internet has many advantages, South Sudanese should be aware of its risks and dangers. This necessitates understanding cybercrime attacks and the methods used to carry them out.

Nobody can, however, eliminate cyber attacks, but understanding the dynamics of the attacks can help reduce attacks and save money and people’s lives.

According to the AAG IT Company 2022 cyber crime report, phishing attacks are widely executed.

“Phishing remains the most common form of cybercrime. Globally, 323,972 internet users fell victim to phishing attacks in 2021. This means half of the users who were a victim of cybercrime fell for a phishing attack. An average of $136 lost per phishing attack amounts to $44.2 million stolen by cyber criminals through phishing attacks in 2021”, part of the report reads.

The victims of cybercrime are targeted using emails, and in 2021, the report said about one billion emails were breached, and the data lost is sold to criminals to enhance further attacks.

“Phishing attacks largely target victims through emails; 2021 saw nearly 1 billion emails exposed, affecting 1 in 5 internet users. These breached databases are sold on black marketplaces on the dark web, meaning cyber criminals can purchase them and use the addresses in phishing attacks”.

The Phishing Trends both in 2021 and 2022

The LinkedIn platform is where phishing email attacks are delivered because of its many users. In the first quarter of 2021, phishing emails attached to LinkedIn were highly clicked at 42%, followed by Facebook at 20% and Twitter at 9%.

LinkedIn42%
Facebook20%
Twitter9%
Table showing phishing percentage attacks volume delivered through emails on social media

And in the first quarter of 2022, there are five top platforms which experienced phishing, with LinkedIn taking the lead at 52%, DHL at 14%, Google at 7%, Microsoft at 6%, and FedEx at 6%.

LinkedIn52%
DHL14%
Google7%
Microsoft6%
FedEx6%
Table showing phishing attack volume delivered through different platforms

The rationales for the increase in the cost of cybercrime are that cybercriminals have developed new attack technologies, many countries have weak cybersecurity, cybercrime has turned into a service or business, and the criminals monetise their targets, according to Internet Society Organization.

In an article published by Security Magazine, which highlighted the state of phishing report for 2022 by SlashNext, it found 255 million attacks had taken place in the form of URL based-links, email messages, and mobile and browser channels, amounting to 61% higher than in 2021.

The report indicated that phishing attacks have shifted to mobile devices and communication channels, primarily targeting employees with scams and personal information theft.

Global Cybercrime statistics 2022

The worldwide trends of cybercrime have wrecked damages lost to institutions, individuals, and information technology devices.

In Europe, the United Kingdom has many cybercrime victims, numbering 4783 as of November 2022, above 40% compared with 2020.

In the first quarter of 2022, Russia had 42.92 million data breaches. However, it dropped to 28.78 million violations in the second quarter of 2022. 

The United States of America accounts for 46% of cybercrime attacks worldwide. In Asia, Pakistan experienced an 83% increase in financial fraud committed through social media between 2018 and 2021.

 In  2018, about 17,560 India-based websites were hacked, including 26,121 one in 2020 were hacked.  In the African continent, Nigeria in 2022 has seen 1616% higher data breaches in the first quarter, 35 472 in the second quarter, and 608,765 in the third quarter.

In Australia, $72 million was lost in 2022 through scams. In September this year, Optus telecommunications company experienced a data breach that victimised about 2.1 million customers, and 9.8 million records were stolen.

In conclusion, with the advance in technology, cyber crimes have become more sophisticated, lucrative, and well-organized. The attackers evade the security layers or protocols of individuals, groups, organisations, institutions, and devices.

The victims of the attacks could be institutions, individuals, and information technology devices or infrastructures.

This blog post was published as part of the Fact-checking and Digital Rights Fellowship in the context of the Africa Digital Rights Fund with support from the Collaboration on International ICT Policy in East and Southern Africa (CIPESA).