The Impact of the Cyber Crime Act, 2025, on Zambian Critical Information Infrastructure: A Scenario – Based Risk Assessment and Mitigation Framework

The enactment of the Cyber Crime Act, 2025, represents a significant evolution in Zambia’s legal framework for combating cyber threats. However, its specific implications for the protection of Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) remain unexplored. This paper presents a novel, scenario-based risk assessment framework to evaluate the impact of the new Act on Zambian CII sectors, including energy, finance, and telecommunications. The methodology involves a detailed analysis of the Act's provisions, the identification of key CII assets, and the development of plausible attack scenarios (e.g., ransomware attacks on the national power grid, SWIFT system compromises) to stress-test the regulatory environment. Our findings indicate that while the Act provides crucial legal tools for prosecution and information sharing, it introduces significant compliance burdens and potential operational complexities for CII operators. The study identifies critical gaps in incident response coordination and resource allocation. We propose a structured mitigation framework that integrates technical controls, governance policies, and public-private partnerships to enhance CII resilience. This research provides policymakers, regulators, and CII operators in Zambia with a proactive tool for navigating the new legislative landscape, ultimately contributing to greater national cybersecurity resilience.