CYBERSECURITY PRACTICES AND FRAUD PREVENTION AMONG GHANAIAN TELECOMMUNICATION FIRMS, A MIXED METHOD ANALYSIS

Kwakye Agyapong, Isaac Boakye

Abstract


This study explores the effectiveness of cybersecurity practices in preventing fraud within Ghanaian telecommunication firms, adopting a qualitative research approach to gain in-depth insights into the challenges and strategies involved. By focusing on the perspectives of key personnel directly involved in cybersecurity and fraud prevention, the study aims to uncover critical factors influencing the success of these practices. A case study design is employed, examining cybersecurity implementation across five major telecommunication firms in Ghana. The sample consists of 15 participants, including IT managers, cybersecurity officers, and fraud prevention specialists, selected through purposive sampling to ensure relevant and insightful data collection. Semi-structured interviews are used as the primary data collection method, allowing participants to provide detailed and nuanced information on their experiences with cybersecurity measures. Thematic analysis is employed to identify key patterns and themes within the data, highlighting the role of insider threats, regulatory frameworks, and employee behavior in contributing to fraud. The findings indicate that while robust technical measures such as encryption, multi-factor authentication, and intrusion detection systems play a significant role in reducing fraud, challenges in enforcement, compliance, and employee behavior remain critical barriers. The study concludes that a holistic approach, combining technical solutions with organizational culture improvements and stronger regulatory enforcement, is essential for enhancing cybersecurity effectiveness in Ghana’s telecommunication sector. Recommendations are made for improving incident response times, regulatory support, and employee training programs, as well as fostering greater collaboration between firms and regulatory bodies to strengthen fraud prevention efforts.

 

Article visualizations:

Hit counter


Keywords


e-learning, senior high schools, instructor readiness, implementation, Ghana

Full Text:

PDF

References


Abubakar, A., & Nur, A. M. (2021). Cybersecurity challenges in developing countries: The case of Africa. Journal of Information Security, 12(2), 65-72. https://doi.org/10.4236/jis.2021.122005

Adekunle, T., & Olaoye, K. A. (2020). Cybersecurity practices and financial fraud: A case study of African telecom firms. Journal of Telecommunications Policy, 44(5), 102-117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.telepol.2020.102032

Bada, M., & Nurse, J. R. C. (2019). The social and behavioural aspects of cybersecurity. Social Science Computer Review, 37(1), 68-85. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894439317753826

Chikweche, T., & Bressan, S. (2022). The role of public-private partnerships in combating cybersecurity threats in Africa. African Journal of Governance and Development, 11(1), 31-49. https://doi.org/10.31920/2634-3649/2022/v11n1a3

Greitzer, F. L., Strozer, J. R., Cohen, S., & Moore, M. A. (2018). Insider threat: Behavioral and technical approaches to improving cybersecurity. Journal of Cybersecurity, 4(2), 65-80. https://doi.org/10.1093/cybsec/tyy003

Jayawickrama, U., & Ng, D. T. K. (2018). Regulatory frameworks for cybersecurity: The challenges in developing countries. Journal of Regulatory Studies, 22(3), 45-62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrs.2018.07.007

Kweku, E. K., & Adjei, E. (2020). Cybersecurity legislation in Ghana: A review of the Cybersecurity Act 2020. Ghana Law Review, 34(4), 29-42.

Mann, C. L., & Mueller, M. L. (2019). Public-private partnerships in cybersecurity: Benefits and risks. Journal of Policy and Internet, 11(3), 247-262. https://doi.org/10.1002/poi3.200

Nasir, M. A., Arshad, A., & Alam, A. (2020). The role of encryption and cybersecurity policies in fraud prevention: Insights from telecom firms. Journal of Business and Policy Research, 12(1), 89-104. https://doi.org/10.5172/jbpr.2020.1011

Opare, D. K., & Ansah, T. K. (2020). Evaluating the impact of cybersecurity regulation in Ghana's telecommunications industry. African Journal of Technology & Security, 15(2), 44-59.

Parsons, K., McCormac, A., Butavicius, M., Pattinson, M., & Jerram, C. (2017). Determining employee awareness of information security: An insider threat perspective. Computers & Security, 68, 165-176. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cose.2017.04.006

Schein, E. H. (2021). Organizational culture and cybersecurity: Exploring the human factors. Journal of Business and Cyber Risk, 9(1), 21-36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbcybr.2021.01.002

Shaw, T., Chen, C., Harris, J., & Huang, H. (2019). Human factors in insider threats: Organizational issues and solutions. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 40(3), 407-423. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2337

Smith, P. T., Jones, R., & Roberts, L. (2021). Delays in cybersecurity incident response: The effect on financial fraud. Journal of Cybersecurity and Finance, 5(3), 17-31. https://doi.org/10.1093/cybsec/fax005

Willison, R., & Warkentin, M. (2019). Insider threats and information security management. MIS Quarterly, 43(3), 749-770. https://doi.org/10.25300/MISQ/2019/14311

Zalenski, A., & Kozubik, J. (2021). Regulatory compliance and cybersecurity challenges: A case study of the Ghanaian telecommunications industry. Telecommunications Journal of Africa, 24(2), 111-125.




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejsss.v10i4.1825

Copyright (c) 2024 Kwakye Agyapong, Isaac Boakye

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

The research works published in this journal are free to be accessed. They can be shared (copied and redistributed in any medium or format) and\or adapted (remixed, transformed, and built upon the material for any purpose, commercially and\or not commercially) under the following terms: attribution (appropriate credit must be given indicating original authors, research work name and publication name mentioning if changes were made) and without adding additional restrictions (without restricting others from doing anything the actual license permits). Authors retain the full copyright of their published research works and cannot revoke these freedoms as long as the license terms are followed.

Copyright © 2016 - 2023. European Journal Of Social Sciences Studies (ISSN 2501-8590) is a registered trademark of Open Access Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

This journal is a serial publication uniquely identified by an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) serial number certificate issued by Romanian National Library. All the research works are uniquely identified by a CrossRef DOI digital object identifier supplied by indexing and repository platforms. All the research works published on this journal are meeting the Open Access Publishing requirements and standards formulated by Budapest Open Access Initiative (2002), the Bethesda Statement on Open Access Publishing (2003) and  Berlin Declaration on Open Access to Knowledge in the Sciences and Humanities (2003) and can be freely accessed, shared, modified, distributed and used in educational, commercial and non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Copyrights of the published research works are retained by authors.