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HP Wolf Security Threat Insights Report Shows How Cybercriminals Are Tricking Users
HP Inc. has released its latest global HP Wolf Security Threat Insights Report, providing analysis of real-world cybersecurity attacks. By isolating threats that have evaded detection tools and made it to user endpoints, HP Wolf Security has specific insight into the latest techniques being used by cybercriminals.
The HP Wolf Security threat research team identified a wave of attacks utilizing Excel add-in files to spread malware, helping attackers to gain access to targets, and exposing businesses and individuals to data theft and destructive ransomware attacks.
There was a huge six-fold increase (+588%) in attackers using malicious Microsoft Excel add-in (.xll) files to infect systems compared to last quarter – a technique found to be particularly dangerous as it only requires one click to run the malware.
The team also found adverts for .xll dropper and malware builder kits on underground markets, which make it easier for inexperienced attackers to launch campaigns.
Additionally, a recent QakBot spam campaign used Excel files to trick targets, using compromised email accounts to hijack email threads and reply with an attached malicious Excel (.xlsb) file.
After being delivered to systems, QakBot injects itself into legitimate Windows processes to evade detection.
Malicious Excel (.xls) files were also used to spread the Ursnif banking Trojan to Italian-speaking businesses and public sector organizations through a malicious spam campaign, with attackers posing as Italian courier service BRT. New campaigns spreading Emotet malware are now using Excel instead of JavaScript or Word files too.
Other notable threats isolated by the HP Wolf Security threat insight team include:
- The return of TA505? HP identified a MirrorBlast email phishing campaign sharing many tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) with TA505, a financially motivated threat group known for massive malware spam campaigns and monetizing access to infected systems using ransomware. The attack targeted organizations with the FlawedGrace Remote Access Trojan (RAT).
- Fake gaming platform infecting victims with RedLine: A spoofed Discord installer website has been discovered, tricking visitors into downloading the RedLine infostealer and stealing their credentials.
- Switching up uncommon file types is still bypassing detection: The Aggah threat group targeted Korean-speaking organizations with malicious PowerPoint add-in (.ppa) files disguised as purchase orders, infecting systems with remote access Trojans. PowerPoint malware is unusual, making up 1% of malware.
“Abusing legitimate features in software to hide from detection tools is a common tactic for attackers, as is using uncommon file types that may be allowed past email gateways.
Security teams need to ensure they are not relying on detection alone and that they are keeping up with the latest threats and updating their defenses accordingly.
For example, based on the spike in malicious .xll sightings we are seeing, I’d urge network administrators to configure email gateways to block incoming .xll attachments, only permit add-ins signed by trusted partners or disable Excel add-ins entirely,” explains Alex Holland, Senior Malware Analyst, HP Wolf Security threat research team, HP Inc.
“Attackers are continually innovating to find new techniques to evade detection, so it’s vital that enterprises plan and adjust their defenses based on the threat landscape and the business needs of their users. Threat actors have invested in techniques such as email thread hijacking, making it harder than ever for users to tell friend from foe.”
The findings are based on data from the many millions of endpoints running HP Wolf Security. HP Wolf Security tracks malware by opening risky tasks in isolated, micro Virtual Machines (micro-VMs) to understand and capture the full infection chain, helping to mitigate threats that have slipped past other security tools.
This has let customers click on over 10 billion email attachments, web pages, and downloads with no reported breaches. By better understanding the behaviour of malware in the wild, HP Wolf Security researchers and engineers can bolster endpoint security protection and overall system resilience.
Other key findings in the report include:
- 13% of email malware isolated had bypassed at least one email gateway scanner.
- Threats used 136 different file extensions in their attempts to infect organizations.
- 77% of malware detected was delivered via email, while web downloads were responsible for 13%.
- The most common attachments used to deliver malware were documents (29%), archives (28%), executables (21%), spreadsheets (20%).
- The most common phishing lures were related to the New Year or business transactions such as “Order”, “2021/2022”, “Payment”, “Purchase”, “Request” and “Invoice”.
“Today, low-level threat actors can carry out stealthy attacks and sell access onto organized ransomware groups, leading to large-scale breaches that could cripple IT systems and grind operations to a halt,” comments Dr. Ian Pratt, Global Head of Security for Personal Systems, HP Inc.
“Organizations should focus on reducing the attack surface and enabling quick recovery in the event of compromise. This means following Zero Trust principles and applying strong identity management, least privilege and isolation from the hardware level.
For example, by isolating common attack vectors such as email, browsers or downloads using micro-virtualization, any potential malware or exploits lurking within are contained, rendering them harmless.”
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How Moniepoint’s Founders, Tosin Eniolorunda and Felix Ike are Redefining African Tech and Finance
In an era where global tech giants dominate headlines, two Nigerian entrepreneurs are quietly revolutionizing financial services across Africa, proving that world-class innovation can emerge from homegrown talent and local institutions.
Tosin Eniolorunda and Felix Ike, co-founders of Moniepoint Inc, have built one of Africa’s fastest-growing fintech companies, not despite their exclusively Nigerian education, but in many ways, because of it.
Their journey from the lecture halls of Obafemi Awolowo University and the University of Lagos to the TIME100 Most Influential Companies list stands as a powerful testament to the caliber of talent nurtured within Nigerian universities and the transformative potential of locally-rooted vision.
Tosin Eniolorunda’s path exemplifies how Nigerian educational institutions can cultivate entrepreneurial excellence. After earning his degree in Mechanical Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University, he didn’t follow the well-trodden path abroad but instead chose to build solutions for Nigerian challenges within Nigeria itself. This decision proved prescient.
Understanding the unique financial ecosystem and infrastructure gaps firsthand from the work at TeamApt Ltd where they were building from majority of the country’s banks, Tosin pioneered several industry firsts: introducing instant POS transfers to Nigeria, launching the country’s first virtual account services, and constructing a vertically integrated payments processing switch with full switching and processing licenses.
These feats and technological achievements must be viewed from the prism that these were deeply contextual innovations born from intimate knowledge of local needs, the kind of understanding that comes from being educated and embedded in the communities one serves.
Felix Ike’s contribution complements this vision with technical brilliance equally rooted in Nigerian educational excellence. Graduating with first-class honors in Computer Science from the University of Lagos, Felix brought to Moniepoint the kind of engineering rigor required to build mission-critical financial infrastructure.
As Chief Technology Officer, he has architected systems that are not just functional but scalable, resilient, and secure enough to serve over 10 million businesses and individuals across Nigeria and Africa. His work demonstrates that Nigerian universities are producing software engineering leaders capable of building world-class technology that can compete on the global stage with technology that processes millions of transactions daily and underpins the financial dreams of an entire continent.
Since its founding in 2015, Moniepoint has evolved into Africa’s largest distributor of financial services in Nigeria, with presence across all 774 local government areas. The company’s all-in-one financial ecosystem offering seamless payments, banking, credit, and business management solutions reflects a sophisticated understanding of what African businesses and individuals actually need to thrive.
The accolades have followed: recognition by TIME as one of the 100 Most Influential Companies in 2025, listing among CNBC’s top UK fintech firms, and ranking in the Financial Times’ Africa’s Fastest-Growing Companies for three consecutive years.
The Moniepoint story as an indigenously rooted but globally compliant player challenges prevailing narratives about where innovation must originate and what credentials are necessary for building transformative companies. Tosin and Felix’s success illustrates that Nigerian universities, when their graduates are empowered with vision, opportunity, and determination, can produce founders who don’t just participate in the global economy but reshape it.
Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has announced that the National Identification Number (NIN) issued by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) will automatically serve as the Tax Identification Number (Tax ID) for all Nigerian citizens, while registered businesses will use their Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) registration numbers.
FIRS
The disclosure was made during a public awareness campaign on the new tax laws posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday.
According to the Service, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act (NTAA), which comes into force in January 2026, mandates the use of Tax IDs for certain financial and commercial transactions, including bank account ownership.
FIRS explained that the measure is part of efforts to unify all previously issued Tax Identification Numbers (TINs) by both the federal and state revenue services into a single identifier.
“For individuals, your NIN automatically serves as your Tax ID, while for registered companies, your CAC RC number is used. You do not need a physical card; the Tax ID is a unique number linked directly to your identity,” the Service stated.
The agency noted that the requirement has been in place since the Finance Act of 2019 but has now been strengthened under the NTAA to ensure compliance and ease of administration.
Officials emphasized that the reform would simplify tax processes, reduce duplication, and improve transparency in Nigeria’s tax system.
The Service added that the integration of NIN and CAC numbers into the tax framework would also enhance data accuracy, curb tax evasion, and streamline the monitoring of taxable activities across the country.
Tax experts have described the development as a significant step toward modernizing Nigeria’s revenue administration, noting that it aligns with global best practices where national identity systems are linked to tax compliance.
The FIRS urged Nigerians to ensure that their NINs and CAC registration details are up-to-date, stressing that the identifiers would be required for transactions such as property purchases, contract awards, and access to certain financial services once the NTAA takes effect
The United States will begin a partial suspension of visa issuance to Nigerians from January 1, 2026, following a new presidential proclamation aimed at strengthening border and national security.
The US Mission in Nigeria announced on Monday that the restriction will take effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time in accordance with Presidential Proclamation 10998, titled ‘Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States.’
According to the mission, Nigeria is one of 19 countries affected by the measure.
Others listed are Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The proclamation provides for a partial suspension of visa issuance covering nonimmigrant B-1/B-2 visitor visas, as well as F, M and J student and exchange visitor visas.
It also applies to immigrant visas, though with limited exceptions.
The statement read in part, “Effective January 1, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. EST, in line with Presidential Proclamation 10998 on “Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States,” the Department of State is partially suspending visa issuance to nationals of 19 countries – Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cote D’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe – for nonimmigrant B-1/B-2 visitor visas and F, M, J student and exchange visitor visas, and all immigrant visas with limited exceptions.”
US officials clarified that the policy does not apply to all travellers. Exemptions include immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran, dual nationals applying with passports from countries not affected by the suspension, and Special Immigrant Visas for eligible US government employees.
Other exempted categories include lawful permanent residents of the United States and participants in certain major international sporting events.
The US government emphasised that the proclamation applies only to foreign nationals who are outside the United States on the effective date and who do not hold a valid US visa as of January 1, 2026.
“Foreign nationals, even those outside the United States, who hold valid visas as of the effective date are not subject to Presidential Proclamation 10998. No visas issued before January 1, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. EST, have been or will be revoked pursuant to the Proclamation,” the statement added.
Visa applicants from affected countries may continue to submit applications and attend interviews. However, the US Mission noted that such applicants “may be ineligible for visa issuance or admission to the US” under the new rules.
The announcement comes amid a series of recent US policy decisions that have raised concerns among Nigerians seeking to travel, study or migrate to the country.
In October, the United States added Nigeria back to its list of countries accused of violating religious freedom, citing persistent insecurity and attacks on Christian communities. This was followed by Nigeria’s inclusion on a revised US travel ban list that imposed partial entry restrictions on Nigerians.
The US has also tightened immigration and visa policies affecting Nigerians. Earlier this year, the validity of most non-immigrant visas issued to Nigerians was reduced to single-entry visas with a three-month duration.
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