Kobby Spiky Blames Human Error As Biggest Cybersecurity Threat

 Tech entrepreneur and digital ecosystem specialist Kobby Spiky Nkrumah has said that human behaviour and ignorance continue to be the biggest vulnerabilities in cybersecurity, despite advances in digital protection systems.

Speaking on Culture Daily on 3Music TV, Spiky argued that most cyberattacks succeed not because systems are weak but because people are easily manipulated.

“It’s easier to hack people than it is to hack systems,” he said.

According to him, cybercriminals increasingly rely on social engineering, a psychological manipulation technique used to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information or granting access to systems.

Spiky illustrated this with an example involving children unknowingly exposing answers to security questions.

“If a stranger asks your child what colour dad’s first car was or when your parents got married, the child will say it excitedly. But these are all security questions for your email,” he explained.

He warned that hackers often exploit curiosity, carelessness and convenience to gain access to systems and personal information.

To explain the concept, Spiky referenced the alleged use of a flash drive attack against Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility, where malware was reportedly introduced through a device left near workers.

“You find a two-terabyte flash drive next to your car, you pick it up and plug it in," he said.         

He said most hackers prefer manipulating users rather than attempting to break sophisticated encryption systems directly because it is faster, cheaper, and more effective.

“The hard way is trying to break encryption. But if they convince you to make a mistake, they’re in,” he said.

Spiky also expressed concern about how casually people share personal information, particularly national identification details.

“One of the things that really scares me is how people casually give away their Ghana card information,” he said.

He warned that identity theft could become more widespread as digital systems become increasingly interconnected.

“If I have your Ghana card number and your information, I can pretend to be you. I can commit a crime in your name, he said.

The digital specialist called for broader public education on cybersecurity, saying responsibility should be shared among parents, schools, tech companies and state institutions.

He compared the need for digital safety education to past public awareness campaigns about drug abuse and teenage pregnancy, saying repeated messaging can shape behaviour over time.

“Parents need to teach their kids what the risks are,” he added.

He also advised people to report cybercrime incidents quickly, pointing to the reporting systems established by the Cyber Security Authority.