E-Business
Nigeria, Others See a Decrease of Ordinary Threats, Experience Increase of Targeted Malware
According to Kaspersky’s latest research on the threat landscape trends, South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria are facing a dramatic change in the threat landscape.
While regular, self-propagating malware is decreasing dramatically, as it is no longer effective and cannot fly under security radars, the region will see the growth of new cybercrime models in the upcoming year.
While comparing the overall number of mass cyberattacks in 2021, security researchers at Kaspersky noticed a 7.5% decrease in Nigeria, 12% decrease in South Africa and an unprecedented 28.6% decrease in Kenya.
The reason for such a change was the introduction and popularisation of new cybercrime models in the region, with cybercrime tools becoming more targeted along with a long running trend where malware creators rely not on the technical advantage of their technologies over security protection, but on the human factor.
This has stimulated the evolution of phishing schemes in 2021. In particular, the region saw a wave of ‘Anomalous’ spyware attacks.
The usual phishing spyware attack begins when attackers infect a victim by sending them an e-mail with a malicious attachment or a link to a compromised website and ends when the spyware is downloaded and activated on the victim’s device.
Having gathered all necessary data, the operator usually ends the operation by attempting to leave the infected system unnoticed.
In the anomalous attacks, however, the victim’s device becomes not only a source of data but also a tool for spyware distribution.
Having access to the victim’s email server, the malware operators use it to send phishing emails from a legitimate company’s email address. In this case, anomalous spyware attacks an organisation’s server for collecting stolen data from another organisation and sending further phishing emails.
“The Anomalous spyware attacks have a huge potential for growth in South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria in 2022, because unlike regular spyware the entry level for attackers who wish to employ this tactic is significantly lower – since instead of paying for their own infrastructure, they abuse and employ the victims’ resources.
We see that cheaper attack methods have always been on the rise in the region and cybercriminals quickly pick up on new tactics. Kaspersky therefore suggests that in the nearest future, these countries should be prepared for such attacks”, says Maria Garnaeva, Senior Security Researcher at Kaspersky ICS CERT team.
However, the mass scale attacks are not disappearing, but rather transforming. Garnaeva also reports on a mass-scale and pervasive fake installers campaigns, where fake pirated software sites serve up malware as a service.
The scheme is usually the following: a user searches for a free version of an extremely popular legitimate spyware. The cybercriminals are offering them a fake installer using ‘black SEO technic’ – the abuse of the legitimate search engines, resulting in the offering of the fraudulent websites first. As a result of software installer execution, a few dozen malware samples are downloaded and installed with a goal of turning the infected devices into a part of the Glupteba botnet.
The whole fake installers campaign and botnet has been extremely active in South Africa in 2021 and continues to evolve, yet it is scarcely researched.
“While the Glupteba botnet seems to be a threat for consumers, we are still researching it and keeping an eye on its behaviour, since some distributed malware resembles APT-related samples like Lazarus APT groups and were recently used in the largest DDoS attack in Russia.
It is too early to say it with a high level of confidence, but these factors may suggest that we are now entering the era where APT actors start to use existing malware distribution platforms which makes an attribution of such attacks harder and opens a new vector similar to supply chain attacks,” adds Garnaeva.
In order to stay protected from such new cybercrime models and threats, Kaspersky recommends the following:
- Pay close attention to and don’t open any suspicious files or attachments received from unknown sources.
- Do not download and install applications from untrusted sources.
- Do not click on any links received from unknown sources and suspicious online advertisements.
- Create strong passwords and don’t forget to change them regularly.
- Always install updates. Some of them may contain critical security issues fixes.
- Ignore messages asking to disable security systems for office software or antivirus software.
- Use a robust security solution appropriate to your system type and devices, such as Kaspersky Internet Security
Bosun Tijani, minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, has said the government is shifting focus from expanding access to ensuring “meaningful connectivity” that drives economic growth and inclusion.
Bosun Tijani, minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy
The minister made the statement on Friday while addressing stakeholders at the inauguration of board members of the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) in Abuja.
He said that although Nigeria had made significant progress since the introduction of GSM services, millions of people, particularly in rural and underserved communities, remain either unconnected or unable to fully benefit from digital services.
Dr Tijani highlighted ongoing investments in digital infrastructure, including plans to deploy 90,000 kilometres of fibre optic network and nearly 4,000 telecom towers nationwide.
He said initiatives under the USPF had improved access through projects such as rural connectivity and digital facilities in schools but stressed that the next phase must prioritise effective usage.
“It is not enough to connect a community. We must ensure that schools can teach with digital tools and that small businesses can access market opportunities,” he said, citing a pilot project in the Kura community where connectivity has enhanced access to communication, education and healthcare.
Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) also called for a shift towards meaningful connectivity, noting that while data usage had grown significantly, it remained concentrated in urban areas.
According to him, recent data shows that telecom usage has increased by about 160% over the past two years, largely driven by urban demand.
“When we drill down, we see that a lot of that growth is actually in urban centres. So, the gap between those who are not connected or not meaningfully connected is growing,” he said.
Dr Maida added that the trend underscored the need for the USPF board to intensify efforts to bridge both access and usage gaps across the country.
Both officials emphasised the importance of collaboration, sustainable investment models and improved digital literacy to ensure that connectivity translates into real economic benefits for Nigerians.
A jury in Los Angeles has found technology companies, Meta and Google liable for contributing to a young woman’s social media addiction, in a case being described as a landmark ruling.
The 20-year-old woman, identified only as Kaley, argued that she became addicted to Google’s YouTube and Meta’s Instagram from an early age due to their attention-driven design features.
According to her testimony, she began using YouTube at the age of six after downloading the app on her iPod Touch to watch videos about lip gloss and online games.
Kaley told the court that she joined Instagram at nine, bypassing parental restrictions put in place by her mother, and spent extended periods on social media.
The trial, which lasted about a month, with arguments and evidence from both sides.
Jurors also heard testimony from Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive, Meta and Adam Mosseri, Instagram head.
However, Neal Mohan, YouTube chief executive, did not testify.
The jury found that the companies were negligent in the design of their platforms and failed to adequately warn users about potential harms. Meta and Google were ordered to pay the woman $3 million in damages.
Jurors also recommended additional punitive damages, including $900,000 against YouTube and $2.1 million against Meta, according to company spokespersons.
The jury apportioned 70 per cent of the responsibility to Meta and 30 per cent to YouTube.
Kaley was present in the courtroom when the verdict was delivered, alongside parents of other teenagers who say they were harmed by social media use. Both companies said they plan to appeal the decision.
“We respectfully disagree with the verdict and will appeal. Teen mental health is profoundly complex and cannot be linked to a single app. We will continue to defend ourselves vigorously as every case is different, and we remain confident in our record of protecting teens online”, a Meta spokesperson said.
José Castañeda, Google spokesperson, said the case misunderstands YouTube, which is a responsibly built streaming platform, not a social media site.
Nigeria and Finland have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on digitalisation and innovation, prioritising stronger cybersecurity cooperation amid a surge in cyberattacks targeting Nigerian institutions.
The agreement was formalised in Abuja on Monday between Dr Bosun Tijani, Nigeria’s minister of communications, innovation and digital economy, and Jarno Syrjälä, Finland’s under-secretary of state for international trade.
The MoU focuses on cooperation in digital governance, technology infrastructure, and cybersecurity to drive economic growth and improve public services, says a statement issued on Monday by Isime Esene, special assistant to the minister.
The agreement is a significant step in strengthening bilateral relations and advancing Nigeria’s digital economy agenda, says Tijani.
He notes the MoU builds on engagements in Helsinki in February, which centred on Nigeria’s Data Exchange Platform and Finnish participation in Project BRIDGE (Building Resilient Infrastructure for Digital Growth and Empowerment).
The talks also involved key Finnish finance institutions, including Finnvera and Finnfund.
The partnership is expected to unlock new opportunities for innovation and investment, positioning digital technology as a catalyst for shared prosperity, says Tijani.
Finland is committed to supporting the development of resilient, secure, and human-centric digital systems in Nigeria, says Syrjälä. He adds that digitalisation should enhance public trust and empower citizens, noting that Nigeria remains a strategic partner for Finland in Africa.
The agreement complements Finland’s lead role in a €23 million Team Europe Initiative aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s digital public services.
This programme is implemented by Finland’s development agency, HAUS, in collaboration with Estonia’s ESTDEV, and supports the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme.
The deal comes as Nigerian organisations record the highest number of cyberattacks in Africa. In January 2026, organisations experienced an average of 4 701 attacks per week, a 12% year-on-year increase, according to Check Point Research.
In response, authorities are developing the 2026 National Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy update.
Expected later this year, the framework will mandate minimum cybersecurity investment requirements for organisations operating critical national information infrastructure, notes the ministry.
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