E-Business
Cyberoam Warns! Ebola Forms New Exploits among Scammers
Cyberoam at the weekend, raised alarm of scammers now using Ebola virus outbreak in West African as a lure of Phishing campaign.
In its blog post, www.cyberoam.com/blog/death-of-robin-williamsebola-epidemic-new-exploit-topics-among-scammers, Cyberoam said that in lieu of the Ebola Epidemic and as with most phishing emails, the message body warns the user of a trending problem and unsuspecting users could open the email, click on the links or even share them with others.
Kalpesh Devmurari, representative of Cyberoam reported that the scary aspect in these emails seem like they come from a legitimate source like your friends, colleagues, thus increasing the chances of a victim opening them.
“Once you open that email it will ask you to click on a link to read more about the report. Following the link, infects your computer with the Trojan.Zbot malware. This malware runs on different versions of the Microsoft Windows operating system and is often used to steal information submitted through online forms such as usernames, passwords, banking details, etc”.
He also cited the death of Robin Williams, as been exploited by the cyber criminals also.
Devmurari said, “We recently lost Robin Williams – a well-known American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. I’ve been thinking a lot about Robin Williams, and his suicidal behaviour. It’s extremely sad that such a talented, funny man – who brought joy to so many lives, felt that there was no other option than suicide. I was curious, to know the story behind his suicide. Many people received an email capsuling his life and link to photos/videos of the great comedian. I personally could not resist but open the email, following the links, as the great comedian was still playing on our minds.
“Unfortunately, those emails were later found not to be genuine. They were phishing emails launching malware. It turned out to be part of a big Phishing Scam, as Hackers exploited death of Robin Williams for a full-fledged malware campaign. I was shocked when I got to know that scammers can even use such topics for Cybercrime. I researched more and found that this is not the first time it happened.
“Over the years, scammers have used both real and fake celebrity deaths as a way to persuade users to click on links and perform actions. There has been lot of instances in past like deaths of Amy Winehouse, Paul Walker, and fake deaths of Miley Cyrus and Will Smith. News of MH 17 has also become a part of similar scams.The tragic death of actor Robin Williams had opened a world of opportunities for identity thieves as these cybercriminals use news of a celebrity death for their financial gain.
“Yet another form in which criminals utilised the incident was by using it as a social media post on their Facebook page that provides a link to videos or photos related to Robin Williams. The post appeared to come from Facebook friends who were less suspected.
“In another case, the link showed a video of a rare footage of the suicide. Both the links were fake and don’t deliver what they promise. When a user clicks on these links, they might be taken to a page that prompts them to complete a survey to unlock the rare video. This is a hoax, and by completing the survey, the user just works for the scammer who gets paid by survey sites. And that’s not all, when the user fills the survey form, they also pass critical information to the scammer who can use it to create further phishing attacks for identity theft.
“It’s not necessary that all the links will take you to the survey site, some of them are very dangerous and can right away start downloading malware on your machine. It could be key loggers stealing your credit card number, user-password details and much more”.
To avoid being victimised by such scams, Devmurari advised users should be educated about Phishing scams.
“Be cautious of emails received from unknown senders. Open email attachment with extreme care. Always check the attachment’s extension. Never open attachment with “pif”, “exe”, “bat”, “.vbs” extension. Do not visit suspicious websites or follow the links provided at those websites. Do not share personal or financial information over internet/email
Talking about Cyberoam security solutions, the Anti-Spam feature available over its appliance range offers real-time spam protection over SMTP, POP3, IMAP protocols, protecting organizations from zero-hour threats and blended attacks that involve spam, malware, botnets, phishing, Trojans and more.
Apart from that, Cyberoam also offers comprehensive Email Security, preventing sophisticated forms of zero-hour threats and blended attacks involving spam, botnets, phishing, spyware and more.
National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) of Nigeria has launched a new digital identity verification tool called the NIN Authentication (NINAuth) application.
The initiative, which forms part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aims to strengthen the country’s national digital identity management framework.
The launch builds upon Nigeria’s comprehensive unified digital identity system that has been transforming access to financial services and government programs.
The NINAuth application introduces several key features focused on data security and privacy.
The platform requires explicit user consent before sharing identity information for Know Your Customer (KYC) processes, giving individuals greater control over their personal data.
The system provides seamless access to various government services, including SIM card registration, immigration applications, passport processing, tax filings, and financial transactions.
The development follows significant investment in Nigeria’s digital identity infrastructure, including a $45.5 million support from the World Bank as part of the Digital Identification for Development (ID4D) project.
As the official service for integration with NIMC’s backend infrastructure, NINAuth enables secure verification processes across ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).
The application is available for download on both the Google Play Store and Apple iOS App Store for users of the National Identification Number (NIN).
The rollout represents a significant milestone in Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to digitize government services and strengthen identity verification processes.
“NINAuth is a cutting-edge suite of services including web, API, and mobile verification designed to enhance data security, protect privacy, and simplify access to government services,” said Dr. Kayode Adegoke, Head of Corporate Communications at NIMC.
“The platform introduces a robust layer of protection, empowering individuals with greater control over their personal information.”
The implementation supports the objectives of the recently established Nigeria Digital Identification for Development Project Ecosystem Steering Committee, which oversees the country’s digital identity initiatives.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the launch of the NINAuth app and directed its use for verification and authentication across all MDAs.
The application provides a secure single sign-on solution for accessing government services and social protection programs while maintaining strict data privacy controls.
The centralized approach to digital identity management represents a significant step forward in Nigeria’s digital transformation journey and its commitment to modernizing government services.
Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has set in motion a machinery to checkmate the booming copyright piracy market in the country.
Copyright piracy is said to cost Nigeria an annual loss estimated at billions of naira.
Despite the absence of a coordinated or official statistics to gauge the quantum of loss, John Asein, director general, NCC, said as far back as 2019, Nigeria lost N918 trillion ($3 billion) annually to digital piracy.
The financial damages severely impact local businesses and innovation efforts.
The commission, in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), has started a project to develop strategies and tools to address the menace.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting on the WIPO project to address online copyright piracy in Nigeria, Asein said digital technologies have unlocked tremendous opportunities for the creative and innovation sectors.
The NCC boss said technology also poses serious challenges, including online piracy, which he said is growing rapidly.
He said: “Pirate sites continue to emerge rapidly, with statistics indicating a 6.7 per cent increase in user visits. A significant percentage of these users are students aged between 18 and 24, with social media and messaging platforms becoming major gateways for accessing pirated content.”
He added: “No industry is immune. The most affected sectors include television (43.6 per cent), publishing (27.5 per cent), film (12.9 per cent), music (7.0 per cent), and software (6.2 per cent).
“Far beyond mere statistics, the victims are no longer only foreign right owners. Many Nigerians in these sectors have also been bruised and their creative enterprises ruined.”
Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) has signed an international mail partnership with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines for improved delivery access to over 200 countries without middlemen.
Tolani Odeyemi, postmaster-general and chief executive officer of NIPOST, described the deal as a “major milestone” for the country’s logistics and postal sector.
In a statement on X on Monday, Odeyemi explained that the new agreement marks NIPOST’s first direct international airline partnership for several years.
“For a long time, NIPOST operated without any direct partnerships with international airlines, relying heavily on multiple third-party handlers,” the Postmaster-General stated. This often resulted in delays, higher costs, and uncertainty around the delivery of packages.”
She explained that under the new arrangement, KLM will directly handle all outbound international mail from Nigeria, eliminating the need for intermediaries.
“This translates to faster and more reliable delivery, reduced risk of loss or damage, lower handling charges, and access to over 200 countries through KLM’s global network,” the Postmaster-General stressed.
According to Odeyemi, NIPOST’s breakthrough came after it began settling long-standing debts owed to international carriers, a step she said was key to “rebuilding global trust” in Nigeria’s postal system.
She revealed that talks were also ongoing with Ethiopian Airlines to bolster regional and continental logistics, particularly on African and Eastern routes.
“Our goal is clear and unwavering: to connect Nigeria regionally and globally, efficiently, securely, and affordably,” Odeyemi asserted.
The NIPOST CEO described the development as a significant win for Nigerian businesses and small and medium-scale enterprises that rely on international shipping, stating, “You now benefit from quicker, more affordable international shipping, greater peace of mind with improved reliability, and new potential to reach and grow in global markets.”
Odeyemi commended the teams behind the scenes and pledged continued improvements in service delivery, adding that the deal signals a turning point for the agency.
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