GSMA Study Highlights Rising Cybersecurity Costs for Mobile Operators and Calls for Smarter Regu…>
Tech Africa News –
The GSMA’s recent study reveals that mobile operators allocate $15–19 billion annually to cybersecurity, with projections indicating this could rise to $40–42 billion by 2030) The report critiques poorly designed regulations that can lead to increased costs and focus on compliance over real cybersecurity needs
It stresses the importance of collaboration between governments and the industry to avoid inefficient or contradictory regulatory frameworks
Key challenges include inconsistent regulations and excessive compliance demands that detract from actual security efforts
The GSMA proposes six principles for effective regulation, emphasizing the need for alignment with international standards and fostering industry collaboration
Important items to note:
– Worldwide expenditure on cybersecurity by mobile operators is currently $15–19 billion annually.
– Expected increase in cybersecurity costs to $40–42 billion by 2030.
– Risks associated with poorly designed regulations include unnecessary costs and increased cyber threat exposure.
– Key challenges include fragmented regulations and excessive focus on audits instead of threat detection.
– GSMA outlines six principles for effective cybersecurity regulation:
1) Harmonization with international standards.
2) Consistency with existing policies.
3) Risk- and outcome-based approaches.
4) Collaboration with the industry.
5) Security-by-design practices.
6) Capacity-building for regulators.
– Emphasis on global coordination among regulators to support mobile network security and resilience.
Link: https://techafricanews.com/2025/11/28/gsma-study-highlights-rising-cybersecurity-costs-for-mobile-operators-and-calls-for-smarter-regulation/