Digital Dialogue Series – July Edition happened on 19th July 2024
With growing cybersecurity threats to electoral processes around the world, it has
become critical to address these challenges in order to maintain the integrity of
democratic elections. This paper collates insights from key speakers at a recent
Digital Dialogue Series (“DDS”) hosted by the Africa Center for Digital
Transformation (“ACDT”) on 19 July 2024 under the theme ‘Securing Democracy:
Addressing potential cyber-attacks during the 2024 elections. In particular, it
focused on election cyber security, the threats, implications, and recommended
measures to secure electoral systems with specific reference to the Ghanaian elections
to be held in December 2024.
Mr. Mussa Dankwah, the Executive Director and Head of Global Research at Global
InfoAnalytics, the keynote speaker at ACDT’s DDS on “Securing Democracy:
Addressing Potential Cyber Attacks in Elections 2024″, acknowledged the paramount
importance of ensuring free and fair elections and highlighted the growing
vulnerabilities posed by cyber threats such as hacking and unauthorised access to
electoral databases. It stressed that cyber-attacks not only threaten the integrity of
the electoral process, but also undermine public confidence and the legitimacy of
election results.
He further highlighted that the impact of cyber-attacks on elections is profound.
Such attacks can destabilise the electoral process and create doubts about the validity
of the results, ultimately weakening democracy itself.
To address these challenges, he commended that:
- The Electoral Commissioner (“EC’) should communicate with Ghanaians about
the nature and risks of cyber threats. - There is a need to build capacity to withstand sophisticated cyber threats. 3.
Engaging experts in developing robust cybersecurity measures is essential. 4.
Collaboration with international bodies is crucial to combat cyber threats
effectively. - Stakeholders should be involved in formulating strategies to prevent cyber
threats. - Educating citizens about the impact of cyber threats on the electoral process is
vital.
Mr. Paul K. Arhin Jnr., a Lecturer in Cybersecurity at the University of Cape Coast,
highlighted the important role that academia can play in addressing cyber threats. He
urged people in academia to research cyber threats and educate students about
cybersecurity from an early age. He also suggested fostering collaboration between
academia, government and other institutions to raise awareness and build a culture
of cybersecurity.
Additionally, he spoke about the role of the Cyber Security Authority in engaging
social media platforms to detect and prevent the spread of false information. He
emphasised the need for measures to trace the origin of such information, which is
critical for maintaining the integrity of the electoral process.
He suggested that the Cyber Security Authority (the “Authority”) engage in a
comprehensive campaign to raise awareness about potential cyber attacks targeting
the voting system and educate the public on what to be vigilant about.
Mr. Divine Agbeti, Head of Advisory and Cybersecurity Lead took turns to speak to
the audience at ACDT’s DDS, he provided a detailed account of various types of
cyber-attacks that threaten the electoral process, including but not limited to:
● Spoofing Attacks: Using artificial fingerprints created with stolen biometric
data.
● Phishing: Stealing login credentials and other sensitive data.
● DDoS Attacks: Overwhelming online systems for voting and disseminating
election results, thereby slowing down the electoral process.
He further identified several vulnerabilities, such as weak authentication
mechanisms, outdated network systems, unencrypted data, and inadequate response
mechanisms.
To counter these vulnerabilities, he suggested:
- Implementing strong authentication measures, such as Multi-Factor
Authentication (“MFA”). - Employing Role-Based Access Control (“RBAC”) to limit data access to
authorised personnel. - Encrypting sensitive data to protect it from unauthorised access.
- Using secure communication channels.
- Developing a comprehensive incident response plan.
Commenting on the functions of the Cyber Security Authority, Mr. Agbeti asserted
that the Authority should spearhead this conversation and provide regular public
updates on their activities, particularly during the electoral period, to assure the
public of their safety.
Another panellist at ACDT’s DDS was Mr Selorm Branttie, Vice President (Strategy
and Communication) at the Center Policy & Education; IMANI-Ghana, who stressed
the need for transparency in the electoral process. He called on civil society
organisations to ensure peace and to report any incidents that could disrupt the
electoral process. He also stressed the importance of protecting voters’ credentials
from post-election cyber-attacks.
Mr Branttie also recommended that the Cyber Security Authority should work with
other agencies to prevent the misuse of roles and powers. He also highlighted the
need to educate the public on the electoral process and cyber security, suggesting that
a checklist should be provided to citizens to ensure that their votes are secure.
He has observed that the Authority appears to operate with limited visibility and in
relative isolation. He believes that the Authority has much more potential in terms of
outreach and dissemination of information. In his view, it is crucial for the authority
to publish a set of guidelines or checklists outlining what citizens should look out for
to ensure the security of their vote.
To conclude, the moderator for the day, Mr. Patrick Kwabena Stephenson, summed
up the key points made by all the panelists and emphasised how timely
conversations on cyber defense preparedness during elections and how various
stakeholders as well as the general masses need to take the front seat in ensuring that
the electoral process during our elections is peaceful, fair, and free from potential
cyber attacks.
For concerns, reach the
Africa Center for Digital
Transformation -ACDT on:
info@acdt-global.org