43% of African SMEs suffered a cyberattack in 2024. Yet most have no protection in place. Here's what you're really risking and how to protect yourself.
The reality of cyber threats in Cameroon
Cyberattacks are no longer the exclusive concern of large companies. Today, any connected business is a target, whether it's a clinic in Yaoundé, a trading company in Douala or a school in Bafoussam.
Why do attackers target SMEs?
- Easier targets: less protection than large companies
- Valuable data: client lists, bank accounts, confidential contracts
- Ransom leverage: an SME paralysed for 72 hours can lose everything
The 5 most common attacks on Cameroonian SMEs
1. Phishing (fake emails)
An email that appears to come from your bank, a supplier or a government body. One click and your credentials are stolen. 60% of attacks start with a phishing email.
2. Ransomware (file encryption)
A programme blocks all your files and demands payment (often in cryptocurrency) to restore them. Average cost of an attack: 3 to 15 million F for an SME.
3. Account takeover
Your email, Facebook or WhatsApp Business account is hijacked. The attacker contacts your clients pretending to be you to collect payments.
4. Data theft
Your client database, contracts and financial data are stolen and sold on the dark web, or used for extortion.
5. DDoS attack (service disruption)
Your website is flooded with requests and becomes unavailable. Particularly damaging for e-commerce businesses.
What you risk concretely
| Risk | Estimated financial impact |
|---|---|
| Loss of client data | 1 - 5 million F (GDPR fines + reputation) |
| Ransomware | 3 - 15 million F (ransom + downtime) |
| Account takeover | Variable (fraudulent transfers) |
| Service disruption | 50,000–500,000 F/day (lost revenue) |
| Legal liability | Variable (client lawsuits) |
The 5 protections to implement immediately
Protection 1 - Professional antivirus (urgency: HIGH)
Free antivirus is not enough for a business. A professional solution includes centralised management, real-time monitoring and automatic updates. Cost: 15,000 to 30,000 F/month for 10 workstations.
Protection 2 - Automatic backup (urgency: CRITICAL)
The 3-2-1 rule: 3 copies of your data, on 2 different media, with 1 offsite (cloud). If ransomware strikes, you restore and continue operating.
Protection 3 - Password management (urgency: HIGH)
Different password for each service, minimum 12 characters, changed every 3 months. Use a password manager (Bitwarden is free).
Protection 4 - Two-factor authentication (urgency: HIGH)
Enable 2FA on all critical accounts: email, banking, social media. Even if your password is stolen, the attacker cannot connect.
Protection 5 - Team training (urgency: MEDIUM)
After a 2-hour phishing awareness session, the click rate on fraudulent emails drops by 80% among our clients.
The ROI of cybersecurity
One figure to remember: protecting yourself costs 10 times less than recovering from an attack.
At Unadresse:
- Starter Pack (antivirus + backup + awareness): 50,000 F/month
- Average cost of a cyberattack on an SME: 5,000,000 F
The calculation is straightforward.
Conclusion: act before the attack, not after
In cybersecurity, there are two types of businesses: those that have already been attacked, and those who don't know it yet. The good news is that basic protection is accessible and affordable for every Cameroonian SME.
Contact Unadresse for a free security audit of your systems.
