Cybersecurity specialist Yaw Ansu Gyeabour has issued a critical warning to telecommunications and mobile money operators, urging them to conduct rigorous assessments of their internal systems to identify hidden weaknesses.
Speaking on JoyNews, he explained that the recent surge in sophisticated fraud cases – including a viral report of an MTN customer’s account being emptied – suggests the presence of undetected system loopholes or potential insider threats where sensitive information is leaked from within the companies.
He emphasized that these vulnerabilities often go unnoticed until they are exploited by hackers, making proactive defense more essential than ever.
To combat these risks, the expert recommended that telcos regularly employ ethical hacking and penetration testing to discover flaws before criminals do.
He specifically highlighted the danger of zero-day vulnerabilities, which are software defects unknown to the developers that can leave platforms entirely exposed. By simulating real-world attacks, service providers can identify these entry points and patch them, ensuring that mobile apps and network protocols remain secure against evolving cyber threats.
Beyond technical infrastructure, Gyeabour also warned about the human element of security, noting that scammers often use social engineering to trick users into revealing PINs or clicking malicious links. These links can install keyloggers that record every keystroke, allowing hackers to capture sensitive banking details remotely.
He advised the public to remain highly cautious of unsolicited messages and to avoid accepting cookies or browsing suspicious websites, as these often serve as primary gateways for malware that can bypass standard security measures.