Data architectures and the prevalent cyberattacks encountered by West African higher educational institutions in the COVID-19 era

Abstract

The growing interconnectedness of the world has led to a rise in cybersecurity risks. Although it is increasingly conventional to use technology to assist business transactions, exposure to these risks must be minimised to allow business owners to do transactions in a secure manner. While a wide range of studies have been undertaken regarding the effects of cyberattacks on several industries and sectors, However, very few studies have focused on the effects of cyberattacks on the educational sector, specifically higher educational institutions (HEIs) in West Africa. Consequently, this study developed a survey and distributed it to HEIs particularly universities in West Africa to examine the data architectures they employed, the cyberattacks they encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic period, and the role of data analysis in decision-making, as well as the countermeasures employed in identifying and preventing cyberattacks. A total of one thousand, one hundred and sixty-four (1164) responses were received from ninety-three (93) HEIs and analysed. According to the study’s findings, data-informed architecture was adopted by 71.8% of HEIs, data-driven architecture by 24.1%, and data-centric architecture by 4.1%, all of which were vulnerable to cyberattacks. In addition, there are further concerns around data analysis techniques, staff training gaps, and countermeasures for cyberattacks. The study’s conclusion includes suggestions for future research topics and recommendations for repelling cyberattacks in HEIs.