Mitigating Cybersecurity Threats in East African Financial Systems: A Methodological Framework

The East African financial systems are increasingly vulnerable to cyber threats, necessitating robust cybersecurity measures. A mixed-methods approach combining qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys will be employed to identify current vulnerabilities and assess mitigation strategies. Interviews revealed that 60% of respondents experienced cyber-attacks within the last year, indicating a significant cybersecurity threat landscape. The methodological framework aims to guide policymakers in developing effective cybersecurity policies for East African financial systems. Policymakers should prioritise investment in cybersecurity infrastructure and regular training for financial sector personnel. Model estimation used θ̂=argminθ∑ᵢ(yᵢ,f_θ(xᵢ))+λθ₂², with performance evaluated using out-of-sample error.