E-Business
Kaspersky Reveals Future of APTs, Nigeria Ranks 8th Internet Users by Country
Kaspersky Lab’s experts revealed their predictions for 2016, which are based on the expertise of the Global Research and Analysis Team – the company’s 43 top security experts, located all over the world.
Each member contributed unique expertise and, in 2015 alone, their insight and intelligence resulted in detailed reports on 12 Advanced Persistent Threat actors (APTs), “speaking” different languages, including French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, English, among others.
Kaspersky Lab’s experts anticipate that in 2016 we will see significant evolution in cyberespionage tradecraft.
First, there will be a dramatic change in how APTs are structured and operated. It is expected to see a decreased emphasis on ‘persistence’, with a greater focus on memory-resident or fileless malware, reducing the traces left on an infected system and thereby avoiding detection.
Furthermore, the experts see that there is less urge to demonstrate superior cyber-skills, so return on investment will rule much of the nation-state attacker’s decision-making.
Therefore there will be an increase in the repurposing of off-the-shelf malware rather than investment in bootkits, rootkits and custom malware that gets burned by research teams.
In a more long-term perspective, there is an expectation that more newcomers will enter the APT space.
Cyber-mercenaries will grow in number as more parties seek to gain from online attacks. These are expected to offer attack expertise to anyone willing to pay, and also to sell to interested third-parties digital access to high-profile victims, in what could be called an ‘Access-as-a-Service’ offering.
Consumer threats will also evolve. According to experts ransomware will be gaining more ground on banking Trojans and is expected to extend into new areas such as OS X devices, often owned by wealthier and therefore more lucrative targets in addition to mobile and the Internet-of-Things.
Cybercriminals are constantly looking for new ways to make their victims pay. Therefore, alternative payment systems such as ApplePay and AndroidPay, as well as stock exchanges are expected to become growing targets for financial cyber-attacks.
In 2015, Kasperksy Lab experts witnessed a rise in the number of DOXing, public shaming and extortion attacks, as everyone from Hactivists to nation-states embraced the strategic dumping of private pictures, information, customer lists, and code to shame their targets.
Sadly, Kaspersky Lab expects this practice to continue to rise exponentially in 2016.
“Nigeria ranks number 8 for Internet Users by country*, it is the highest number among all African countries.
It is obvious that in this region we will see many attacks on users aimed at getting their financial and personal data on mobiles and PCs. Ransomware will also likely rise in this region in 2016.
Also there are more and more companies choosing to keep their data in the cloud due to the reduced costs and the grown Internet speed, so the opportunity for malware writers to steal company data has become a much bigger risk than a few years ago” said Dirk Kollberg, Senior Security Researcher, Global Research & Analysis Team at Kaspersky Lab.
In order to be able to minimise the future risks connected with cyber-attacks of the future, businesses should create and deploy a complete security strategy.
It is important to educate staff about cybersecurity, implement multi-layered Endpoint protection with extra proactive layers and protect all elements of infrastructure, patch vulnerabilities, mind everything that is mobile and implement encryption for communication and sensitive data.
Companies that have high risks of encountering cyberattacks should consider creating a dedicated Security Operations Center.
Individuals should invest in a robust security solution for all devices and switch to encrypted communication. However, they should not solely rely on technology. Studying the basics of cybersecurity and exploring options that come with the protective solution can save from many incidents. With more and more of our lives being exposed online – it might be useful to revise online habits, as once the information is uploaded it stays online forever and can be used against you or your company.
Kaspersky Lab is one of the world’s fastest-growing cyber-security companies and the largest that is privately-owned.
The company is ranked among the world’s top four vendors of security solutions for endpoint users (IDC, 2014).
Since 1997 Kaspersky Lab has been an innovator in cyber-security and provides effective digital security solutions and threat intelligence for large enterprises, SMBs and consumers.
Kaspersky Lab is an international company, operating in almost 200 countries and territories across the globe. Over 400 million users are protected by Kaspersky Lab technologies worldwide.
Pan-African digital rights organisation Paradigm Initiative (PIN) has warned that violent extremist groups are increasingly exploiting digital platforms to recruit, radicalise and manipulate young people across the Sahel region.
The organisation raised the concern in a new policy brief titled “Digital Frontlines: Countering Online Radicalisation and Violent Extremist Narratives in the Sahel.”
According to the publication, extremist groups are shifting from traditional recruitment methods to digital platforms, including social media, encrypted messaging applications, short-form video platforms and online financial incentives, to target vulnerable populations.
PIN noted that unemployed youths and people facing insecurity and limited economic opportunities are particularly susceptible to online recruitment campaigns.
The organisation said that although governments have intensified efforts to combat violent extremism, responses to the digital dimension of the threat have failed to keep pace with rapidly evolving online tactics.
It argued that addressing online radicalisation requires more than surveillance and restrictive measures, recommending investments in digital literacy, stronger community resilience, improved early-warning systems and credible counter-narratives.
PIN also urged governments to work closely with technology companies and civil society organisations to disrupt extremist recruitment while protecting citizens’ digital rights.
The report further highlighted the growing convergence between organised crime and violent extremist groups, noting that online propaganda increasingly promises financial rewards, belonging and purpose to vulnerable young people.
According to the organisation, this trend underscores the need for policymakers to prioritise prevention alongside conventional security responses.
Speaking on the findings, Moussa Waly SENE, Programmes Officer for Francophone Africa at Paradigm Initiative, described the digital space as a new frontline in the fight against violent extremism.
“As more young Africans come online, stakeholders must ensure that digital platforms remain spaces for opportunity, innovation and civic participation, not recruitment grounds for violent extremist groups. Protecting digital rights and protecting vulnerable communities should be mutually reinforcing objectives,” he said.
Among its recommendations, the policy brief called for stronger regional cooperation to tackle cross-border online extremist networks, rights-respecting content moderation and greater accountability by digital platforms.
It also advocated expanded digital literacy programmes to strengthen resilience against online manipulation and community-led initiatives that empower young people to identify and reject extremist narratives.
The organisation further urged policymakers to develop security measures that balance national security objectives with the protection of privacy, freedom of expression and access to information.
E-Business
Kaspersky Reveals a New Malicious Framework Targeting Cryptocurrency Users with the Use of OkoSpyware
At its recent annual Cyber Security Weekend for the Middle East, Turkiye and Africa (META) region, Kaspersky Global Research and Analysis Team (GReAT) shared insights about the new OkoBot campaign targeting cryptocurrency users.
The new sophisticated framework employs TookPS to exfiltrate seed phrases and uses a new OkoSpyware module to monitor Chromium-based browsers and deploy various malware strains, including the Rilide stealer.
It has already targeted hundreds of victims across over 25 countries, with the highest number of affected end users recorded in Brazil, Vietnam, Canada, Mexico and Turkiye. According to Kaspersky experts, the threat remains active and primarily poses a risk to cryptocurrency users.
In January 2026, experts from the Kaspersky Global Research and Analysis Team (GReAT) identified multiple attacks involving a previously unknown malware capable of capturing the contents of cryptocurrency wallet windows. Dubbed Okobot, the new sophisticated malware framework comprises more than 20 malicious payloads and implants designed to perform a wide range of functions, including collecting local files, executing remote commands, downloading arbitrary browser extensions, stealing cryptocurrency wallets, harvesting seed phrases and credentials, recording video and carrying out other malicious activities.
One of the new implants used in the campaign is a loader that modifies browser memory to load and hide malicious extensions. OkoBot also includes a new OkoSpyware module, which captures keystrokes and the video stream of a target application’s window.
Currently available information does not allow the campaign to be attributed to any known crimeware actor with high confidence. However, the techniques and infostealer involved are widely used by Russian-speaking threat actors, and technical analysis has also revealed code artifacts in Russian.
The initial infection typically occurs through two main vectors: ClickFix attacks, in which threat actors use social engineering to trick users into running malicious code, and malware distributed via GitHub under the guise of legitimate software. During the investigation, researchers identified one such case involving a fake installer for SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), a widely used Microsoft database management tool.
The malicious framework includes SeedHunter, a malware component that monitors active system processes and injects an implant into Trezor Suite, Ledger Wallet, and Ledger Live, – official applications used to manage cryptocurrency assets. When it detects a connected Trezor or Ledger hardware wallet, it triggers the hooked functions to display a hard-coded phishing page aimed at stealing the user’s seed phrase, using a distinct layout for each wallet type.
“The OkoBot campaign has been active for more than a year and remained ongoing as of July 2026. The observed infection vectors strongly suggest that developers are among its primary targets. Of particular concern is the malware’s continued evolution, which indicates that the framework is being actively maintained. As distribution efforts persist, the campaign has the potential to reach more users and expand into additional countries in the near term,” says Dmitry Galov, Head of the Russia and CIS unit at Kaspersky Global Research and Analysis Team.
Afri Invoice, one of Nigeria’s leading accredited e-invoicing service providers, has announced plans to recruit more than 100 professionals nationwide to strengthen support for the Nigeria Revenue Service’s (NRS) mandatory e-invoicing compliance programme.
The recruitment campaign, is aimed at expanding the company’s workforce to meet the growing demand for digital tax infrastructure and help businesses transition smoothly to the country’s evolving e-invoicing regime.
According to the company, the new positions will be spread across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones to ensure businesses receive timely, localised support as they adapt to the new tax compliance framework.
The vacancies cut across several key departments, including Information Technology (IT), Marketing and Digital Marketing, Audit, Legal, Human Resources and multi-site office operations.
Afri Invoice said applicants are expected to possess relevant professional experience, particularly in managing operations across multiple locations and supporting organisational growth.
The company explained that the latest recruitment drive builds on a similar exercise conducted last year, which significantly expanded its operational reach and increased its capacity to onboard clients nationwide.
With the NRS intensifying the implementation of mandatory e-invoicing, Afri Invoice said it is investing in additional manpower to ensure uninterrupted service delivery, efficient client onboarding and expert technical support for businesses of all sizes.
Speaking on the expansion, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Afri Invoice, Mark Odenore, said the company remains committed to helping Nigerian businesses comply with the new tax regulations through innovative technology and professional support.
“As the national drive toward comprehensive e-invoicing gathers momentum under the Nigeria Revenue Service, our mission is to ensure that Nigerian businesses have a reliable, accredited partner to navigate this transition effortlessly,” Odenore said.
He added that recruiting more than 100 professionals across the country’s geopolitical zones would significantly strengthen the company’s ability to provide quality technology solutions and customer support nationwide.
Interested and qualified candidates have been encouraged to submit their applications through Afri Invoice’s official careers portal.
Afri Invoice is an accredited e-invoicing service provider that offers digital solutions designed to simplify financial processes, improve tax transparency and support businesses in complying with national tax regulations while enhancing supply chain and financial management.
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