SentinelOne, a cybersecurity firm, has formed the Undermonitored Regions Working Group (URWG) to address the cybersecurity challenges faced by African countries in the face of China’s increasing technological dominance in the continent. While Chinese companies have been rapidly deploying technology in Africa to support telecommunications, mobile payments, smart cities, and underwater fiber networks, concerns have been raised about the potential surveillance capabilities that these technologies may enable.
According to a white paper from SentinelOne, there is a significant gap in cyber threat intelligence concerning Africa, and limited clarity about China’s long-term agenda in the region. The report suggests that the result of China’s investment in Africa will be an “intricate web of geopolitics and cyber threats.” Tom Hegel, a senior threat researcher at SentinelOne, emphasizes the need to address the unique cybersecurity hurdles faced in Africa, which are often overlooked in global cybersecurity discussions.
Highlighting the concept of “soft power diplomacy,” Hegel describes how China is cultivating cultural ties and nurturing educational partnerships across Africa while investing in critical infrastructure projects. Chinese companies like Huawei and ZTE have played a key role in bringing digital connectivity to even the most remote corners of the continent. For instance, Huawei has been involved in laying subsea cables to rejuvenate Africa’s digital connectivity, potentially giving China the ability to monitor data flowing through them and control the flow of information between continents.
Moreover, Chinese-backed platforms like M-Pesa, OPay, and PalmPay have gained significant traction in the African mobile banking market. Huawei’s technology has also been deployed in various smart city initiatives, incorporating facial recognition, artificial intelligence, data analytics, and 5G networks. While these technologies offer economic opportunities, they also raise concerns about the influence that foreign powers, particularly China, can wield over the financial stability, habits, and preferences of the African population.
To address these concerns, SentinelOne’s URWG aims to expand industry knowledge of cyber threats in less-monitored regions of the world, with a particular focus on Africa. The group plans to collaborate with local experts to understand the unique challenges faced in these regions and develop effective countermeasures against state-sponsored threats.
SentinelOne’s efforts come in light of previous instances that have raised suspicions about the Chinese threat in Africa. Earlier this year, the cybersecurity firm unveiled Operation Tainted Love, a series of targeted attacks conducted by Chinese threat actors against telecommunication, financial, and government entities across various continents, including Africa. Another China-linked group called BackdoorDiplomacy has also targeted governmental organizations in African countries like Kenya.
The concerns raised by SentinelOne are not unique, as reports have previously suggested that China maintained backdoor access into the servers of the African Union’s headquarters in Ethiopia. Hegel believes that these targeted intrusions align with China’s broader soft power and technological agenda in Africa, including strategic telecommunication competition and financial organizations relevant to Chinese investments in the region.
The formation of the URWG seeks to address these cybersecurity risks and provide a trusted resource for research in undermonitored regions. By collaborating with established security researchers and local experts, the group aims to improve the understanding of threat activity and devise effective strategies to counter cyber threats.
As China’s presence in Africa’s technological landscape continues to grow, the need for proactive cybersecurity measures becomes increasingly urgent. It remains to be seen how SentinelOne’s URWG and other industry efforts will contribute to safeguarding Africa’s digital future and ensuring that the continent can benefit from Chinese investments without compromising its cybersecurity.