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Cybercriminals Wiped Out Logs in 82% of Attacks – Sophos

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Sophos, a global leader in innovating and delivering cybersecurity as a service, has released its Active Adversary Report for Security Practitioners, which found that telemetry logs were missing in nearly 42% of the attack cases studied. In 82% of these cases, cybercriminals disabled or wiped out the telemetry to hide their tracks. The report covers Incident Response (IR) cases that Sophos analyzed from January 2022 through the first half of 2023.

Gaps in telemetry decrease much-needed visibility into organizations’ networks and systems, especially since attacker dwell time (the time from initial access to detection) continues to decline, shortening the time defenders have to effectively respond to an incident.

“Time is critical when responding to an active threat; the time between spotting the initial access event and full threat mitigation should be as short as possible.

“The farther along in the attack chain an attacker makes it, the bigger the headache for responders. Missing telemetry only adds time to remediations that most organizations can’t afford.

“This is why complete and accurate logging is essential, but we’re seeing that, all too frequently, organizations don’t have the data they need,” said John Shier, field CTO, Sophos.

In the report, Sophos classifies ransomware attacks with a dwell time of less than or equal to five days as “fast attacks,” which accounted for 38% of the cases studied. “Slow” ransomware attacks are those with a dwell time greater than five days, which accounted for 62% of the cases.

When examining these “fast” and “slow” ransomware attacks at a granular level, there was not much variation in the tools, techniques, and living-off-the-land binaries (LOLBins) that attackers deployed, suggesting defenders don’t need to reinvent their defensive strategies as dwell time shrinks.

However, defenders do need to be aware that fast attacks and the lack of telemetry can hinder fast response times, leading to more destruction.

“Cybercriminals only innovate when they must, and only to the extent that it gets them to their target. Attackers aren’t going to change what’s working, even if they’re moving faster from access to detection.

“This is good news for organizations because they don’t have to radically change their defensive strategy as attackers speed up their timelines.

“The same defenses that detect fast attacks will apply to all attacks, regardless of speed. This includes complete telemetry, robust protections across everything, and ubiquitous monitoring,” said Shier.

“The key is increasing friction whenever possible—if you make the attackers’ job harder, then you can add valuable time to respond, stretching out each stage of an attack.

“For example, in the case of a ransomware attack, if you have more friction, then you can delay the time until exfiltration; exfiltration often occurs just before detection and is often the costliest part of the attack.

“We saw this happen in two incidents of Cuba ransomware. One company (Company A) had continuous monitoring in place with MDR, so we were able to spot the malicious activity and halt the attack within hours to prevent any data from being stolen. Another company (Company B) didn’t have this friction; they didn’t spot the attack until a few weeks after initial access and after Cuba had already successfully exfiltrated 75 gigabytes of sensitive data.

“They then called in our IR team, and a month later, they were still trying to get back to business as usual.”

The Sophos Active Adversary Report for Security Practitioners is based on 232 Sophos Incident response (IR) cases across 25 sectors from Jan. 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023. Targeted organizations were located in 34 different countries across six continents. Eighty-three percent of cases came from organizations with fewer than 1,000 employees.

The Sophos Active Adversary Report for Security Practitioners provides actionable intelligence on how security practitioners should best shape their defensive strategy.

To learn more about attacker behaviors, tools and techniques, read the Active Adversary Report for Security Practitioners on Sophos.com.


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Ugo Onwuaso is an ICT enthusiast. He believes technology should be used for general good. He holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the Lagos state University. Dear Reader, Your support matters. But we believe that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. That is why, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and finance and how they affect lives. Our incisive and analytical view of how technology news affects the daily life help individuals and organizations make up their minds. Quality journalism costs money. Today, we're asking that you support us to do more. Kindly support our effort to deliver technology and finance journalism to everyone in the world. Donate as little as N1,000. Bank transfers can be made to: UBA Plc 1017156876 Communication Week Media Ltd

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Anambra Deepens Digital Reforms, Eyes Top Ranking in Ease of Doing Business

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From Angela Nwanodu

Anambra State has reaffirmed its commitment to building a tech-driven and business friendly environment.

The State Government led by His Excellency, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR reiterated the commitment at the maiden State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER) technical session and statewide town hall meeting on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, held at the International Conference Center, Awka.

The event formed part of the nationwide tour by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), bringing federal reform champions face-to-face with state officials, private sector leaders, and the business community.

In his remarks, Governor Soludo who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Onyeka Ibezim, welcomed the PEBEC team and stakeholders, describing the session as timely and essential.

He stressed that Anambra’s business reforms are deliberate and data-driven, echoing Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo CFR’s belief that “if you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.”

Governor Soludo reaffirmed that although Anambra currently ranks 7th nationally and leads the South East on ease of doing business, the state views reforms as an ongoing, measurable process grounded in technology, planning, and accountability.

Princess Zahra Mustapha Audu, DG of PEBEC, in her goodwill remarks delivered via video, described the SABER programme, a $750 million World Bank-supported initiative, as a transformative partnership co-designed to help states implement global standards and create easier, more transparent business environments.

She stressed that while designing reforms matters, real impact comes from effectively implementing them, with states as the true engines of economic growth.

The State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mrs. Chiamaka Nnake, in her opening remarks, emphasized that with over 98% of Anambra’s wealth held by the private sector, government reforms must be deliberate and responsive.

She noted that under Governor Soludo’s leadership, Anambra has remained intentional about ensuring businesses face fewer obstacles and enjoy a competitive edge.

During the technical session, PEBEC reform leaders Ohiemi Gabriel, Ifeanyi Icheke, and Oluwatofunmi Odunladi commended Anambra’s reform champions for their consistent efforts in reporting, as well as the state government’s resolve which earned the state 7th place nationally and first in the South East in 2021 and 2023.

They encouraged Anambra to deepen its reforms ahead of the next ranking in December 2025, which will spotlight top-performing states and most improved states, alongside tailored recommendations for investors.

The highlight of the event was the panel discussion and town hall meeting anchored by the PEBEC team, featuring members of the State Executive Council as panelists, including the MD/CEO of the Anambra State ICT Agency, Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, CFA; Commissioners for Industry, Lands, Power and Water Resources; MD of ANSIPPA; and MD of ASBA.

During this session, panelists discussed how technology is central to Anambra’s reform agenda. They spotlighted initiatives like the ANAMGIS (Anambra Geographic Information System), which digitizes land processes; the Grievance Redress Mechanism that swiftly addresses investor concerns; the adoption of the .anambrastate.gov.ng domain to standardize official digital communications and strengthen trust in government services; and the ongoing expansion of fiber ducts to enable 5G connectivity, all reflecting the administration’s “Everything Technology, Technology Everywhere” vision.

The conversation also highlighted Solution Lens, a civic engagement platform designed to deepen citizen participation and transparency by allowing residents to track and report on government projects across the state.

Together with strategic projects like road constructions which are deliberate efforts by Governor Soludo to inter- connect Anambra State for easy moving round in doing business.

These reforms aim to enhance transparency, and position Anambra as a smarter, investor-friendly state

As Anambra prepares for the next PEBEC evaluation, government and stakeholders reiterated their resolve to keep reforms measurable, digital-led, and investor-focused

With technology and intentional governance at its heart, Anambra State is strengthening its position as a modern hub where businesses can invest, scale, and thrive.


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MTN’s Karl Toriola and Business Leaders Champion Corporate Climate Reform

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In a defining step toward sustainable transformation, Nigeria has officially joined the global Climate Governance Initiative (CGI), a platform empowering corporate board members to take decisive climate action.

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The initiative’s virtual launch drew a dynamic mix of leaders—former ambassadors, government officials, business executives, and climate advocates from across Africa and beyond.

Dr. Myma Belo-Osagie, Chair of the CGI Nigeria Advisory Board, welcomed attendees with a call to reimagine corporate leadership: climate risks, she noted, should no longer be treated as external issues—they must be integrated into strategic decision-making. She pointed to green finance, regenerative agriculture, and circular business models as key areas of opportunity.

Echoing that sentiment, MTN Nigeria CEO, Dr. Karl Toriola, warned that climate challenges already influence everything from access to capital to long-term competitiveness. “Climate risk directly affects our bottom line. It’s no longer optional to care—it’s necessary,” he said.

Toriola detailed how MTN has embedded climate governance at the core of its operations. From energy-efficient innovations like solar-powered towers and motion-sensor lighting to a nationwide battery and device recycling program, MTN is actively reducing its environmental footprint. Crucially, all executive performance indicators now include sustainability goals—with incentives tied to measurable impact.

He didn’t shy away from the hard truth: genuine climate progress will require sacrifice. “You can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs,” he said, urging corporate leaders to prioritize climate resilience even when it’s inconvenient or costly.

As CGI Nigeria joins a growing global network of corporate climate advocates, the message is clear—business leadership must go beyond profit to steward environmental accountability. From the boardroom to rural infrastructure, Nigeria’s private sector has a pivotal role in shaping a more sustainable future.


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Save & Win: FCMB Promo Makes 12 Millionaires, Over 3,000 Winners

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First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has rewarded 3,016 customers in Season 10 of its ongoing Millionaire Promo. So far, 12 customers have won the top prize of ₦1 million each, while 3,004 others have received different cash rewards.

The winners were selected through electronic draws held between January and June, ensuring broad participation. The promo is open to new and existing savings account holders and ends in September.

During the fifth draw held on June 17, four additional customers won the star prize of ₦1 million each, with 112 others also receiving cash prizes. The latest millionaires include Ranti Badmos from Lagos, Wilson Onoezikome in Kaduna, Esther Obafemi in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, and Israel Oruma in Asaba, Delta State.

Israel Oruma, a timber merchant, expressed his delight at winning, saying the prize would significantly support his business.

“This is a pleasant surprise. I have been facing financial challenges recently. The ₦1 million will go a long way in assisting me. I’m investing it in my business and will encourage all my staff, family, and friends to open an account with the Bank. Thank you, FCMB.”

Adetunji Lamidi, Divisional Head of Personal Banking at FCMB, said the Millionaire Promo reflects the bank’s broader mission to enable financial security and opportunity for everyday Nigerians.

“At a time when many are facing economic pressure, savings-driven initiatives like this shift the focus from getting by to making progress. It gives people a reason to save, rewards loyalty, and shows that banking helps create real-life impact.”

Speaking on the integrity of the selection process, Oyinkan Kusamotu, Principal Legal Officer at the Lagos State Lottery and Gaming Authority, stated: “It’s great to witness FCMB’s commitment to compliance, fairness, and transparency throughout the draw process, which builds trust with customers and stakeholders.”

To qualify for Season 10 of the FCMB Millionaire Promo, customers must increase their account balance by at least ₦10,000 and maintain it for 30 days to enter the monthly and seasonal draws. Each additional ₦10,000 saved increases the customer’s chances of winning. Dormant or inactive account holders can also participate by reactivating their accounts. Draws are held nationwide, giving everyone a fair opportunity to win.


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