https://zimbabwe.misa.org Cybersecurity and Cybercrime Laws in the SADC Region A brief overview of the literature review The mass diff usion of digital media technologies have been accompanied by several social vices, which have prompted several countries in Southern Africa to enact domestic cybercrime legislations (Orji, 2015). In view of the necessity to come with legislation that protect citizens from cyber fraudsters, criminals, hackers and other malicious actors who use digital media technologies to commit heinous crimes, national governments have been busy since the turn of the century coming with laws. Most of the laws that have been enacted or currently being drafted have focused on addressing cybercrimes, cybersecurity, and electronic transactions and data protection. Cybercrimes are refers to crimes, which are committed through the internet using a computer. This includes a wide range of offences against computer data and systems (such as ‘hacking’), computer-related forgery and fraud (such as ‘phishing’), content offences (such as disseminating child pornography), and copyright offences (such as the dissemination of pirated content). Cyber-security denotes the protection of computer networks, programs and other internet connected systems from cyber-attacks. In the era of e-learning, e-commerce, mobile payment platforms, e-voting and e-government, cyberattacks could do irreparable and irreversible damage to businesses and persons. This includes the misuse of personal information such as email addresses and credit card information, or huge fi nancial losses to multinational organisations. Cyber-security intends to reduce cyber-security risks, to minimise successful cyber-security attacks, and to build trust in and security of the internet. It encapsulates the application of information security standards, the defi nition of appropriate cyber-security organisations and the education of internet users. In light 9