E-Business
DDoS Mitigation Best Practice in an IoT world
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a conversation that has been gathering momentum in the public space for around the past five years or so, even though the concept has been around for a few decades. And yet, in this brand-new world of science fiction coming to life, threats lurk also.
So said Bryan Hamman, Arbor Network’s territory manager for Sub-Saharan Africa.
He said, “Obviously, people are excited when they think about the possibilities brought about by a world in which objects can be sensed or controlled remotely across existing network infrastructures. Never mind smartphones – the biggest consumer electronic companies in the world are competing with each other to launch ‘smart fridges’ as just one of an array of connected devices in the home of the future.
“These connected home devices create opportunities for even more integration of the physical world into computer-based systems, and the intention is that they will allow for improved efficiencies and a reduced need for human intervention – think of your smart fridge telling you when you need to throw away your expired milk, for example. At the same time, though, the IoT brings massive opportunities for criminals to use this increasingly connected world for their own commercial gain.”
Hamman noted that while the IoT brings the promise of efficiency and innovation to both homes and businesses, it also significantly expands the threat surface, allowing malware to turn IoT devices into being part of a botnet army – a network of private computers infected with malicious software and controlled as a group without the owners’ knowledge.
He said, “A botnet army grows by continuing to spread its malware to new devices. When a botnet army reaches a certain size, it becomes a revenue-generating platform for its creators by launching distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks on networks. The attacks will be turned off and the network allowed to function normally again, in return for a ransom paid in Bitcoin payments.”
IoT devices are vulnerable to DDoS botnets for a number of reasons. For example, attackers are able to exploit a manufacturer’s re-use of default passwords across device classes. In addition, most IoT devices have access to the Internet without any bandwidth limitations or filtering, while the pared-down operating systems and processing together leave less room for security features – which is why most security compromises go unnoticed.
Hamman says that Arbor advises enterprises, Internet service providers (ISPs) and managed security service providers (MSSPs) to defend against DDoS attacks by implementing best current practices for DDoS defence, as follows:
- Reducing the network’s surface of vulnerability.
- Ensuring complete visibility over all network traffic to detect DDoS attacks.
- Ensuring sufficient DDoS mitigation capacity and capabilities, both on-premise and in the cloud.
- Having a DDoS defence response plan, which is kept updated and rehearsed on a regular basis.
- ISP and MSSP network operators should actively participate in the global operational community, so that they can provide assistance when other network operators come under high-volume DDoS attacks, and in turn request mitigation assistance in need.
- ISP and MSSP network operators should also take into account the baseline load of their normal Internet traffic. This is very important when determining which DDoS defence mechanisms and methodologies to use if under attack.
Hamman concluded, “Today, broadband Internet is become more widely available and more devices are being created with Wi-Fi capabilities and sensors built into them, while smartphones, at least in first world countries, are becoming the norm rather than the exception. This all means that the IoT phenomenon is simply gathering pace, day by day and hour by hour. It is more important than ever to remember that your connected devices are now a part of your network and as such, need the same security considerations to be applied.”
Nigeria has emerged as one of Africa’s most regulated online gambling markets, even as illegal operators continue to dominate the continent, according to a new report by Gaming Compliance International (GCI).
The report, the first comprehensive assessment of online gambling across all 54 African countries, showed that Africa’s online gambling Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) reached $23 billion in 2025.
However, only $5.2 billion (23 per cent) was generated by licensed operators, while $17.8 billion (77 per cent) remained in the unregulated market.
In West Africa, total online gambling revenue rose to $4.8 billion in 2025 from $4.3 billion in 2024. Of the 2025 figure, regulated operators accounted for $1.5 billion (31 per cent), while $3.3 billion (69 per cent) flowed to unlicensed platforms, highlighting the region’s persistent enforcement challenges.
Nigeria stood out as the region’s strongest performer, recording the lowest unregulated market share at 56 per cent, compared with the West African average of 69 per cent and the African average of 77 per cent.
The study also found that online gambling participation across Africa increased from 198 million people (13 per cent of the population) in 2024 to 215 million (14 per cent) in 2025.
Despite this growth, GCI estimated that illegal operators deprived African governments of about $3.55 billion in tax revenue in 2025. The number of unlicensed gambling platforms targeting African consumers also rose to 4,129, up from 3,644 in 2024.
Commenting on the findings, Matt Holt, chief executive officer, GCI, said the report provides regulators with the first continent-wide benchmark for strengthening oversight and consumer protection.
Ismail Vali, president, GCI, urged governments to develop competitive and well-regulated markets that encourage consumers to patronise licensed operators, boost public revenue and attract greater investment.
Online gambling in Nigeria is regulated by the Nation Lottery Regulatory Commission.
At the height of the Northern Hemisphere tourist season, demand for communications and mobile Internet services rises sharply. Kaspersky’s security experts have uncovered scams that target anyone purchasing mobile connections or SIM cards worldwide.
Fraudsters create counterfeit websites that look like the portals of major regional and international telecom providers to trick users into revealing their phone numbers, personal details or banking information.
Kaspersky is sharing several examples of these fake login pages that mimic legitimate telecom operator sites and giving recommendations on how not to be deceived.
In the first case, scammers exploit the brand name of an international telecommunications company operating services in Asia, Africa and Europe. Fake authentication pages encourage users to put in their phone number and credentials.
While the first example shows the different design, the second scam site closely mimics the original log in page, making it hard for users to tell the difference and spot a fake. Entering authentication or payment data on fraudulent web sites may result in money or data loss and become a reason for more frequent spam and fraudulent calls.
Another example is a scam page which poses as another international communications company, working in North Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. In this scheme scammers encourage users to top up their mobile data/Internet plans by entering their personal information and bank cards details.
Kaspersky experts have also identified a scam when cyber criminals suggest users enter their personal data to check and pay a bill inquiry. Such scam schemes are usually aimed at gaining victims’ personal data for further fraud or account hacking and stealing money.
“Because of the active use of AI, scammers can now create fake pages with ever increasing accuracy and speed, targeting the most popular user interest areas. We constantly see scams revolving around sports events, music concerts, seasonal sales and holidays. Unfortunately, the telecoms industry is no exception.
To keep your data and money safe, be vigilant when purchasing mobile or Internet plans online. Using an eSIM – purchased through an official app – is one way to avoid fake telecom sites, as it eliminates the need to enter personal details on questionable web pages.
If you’re unsure about a site’s legitimacy, search for the brand name directly in a search engine and enable a security solution that blocks phishing links for you,” comments Tatyana Kulikova, cybersecurity expert at Kaspersky.
In a strategic push to bridge the gender digital divide, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has partnered with the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) to advance women’s digital inclusion and drive the nation’s transformation agenda.
Dr Aristotle Onumo and some NITDA staff, pose for a group photograph with the President of the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Comrade Aisha Ibrahim, and members of the delegation following a strategic engagement at the Agency’s Headquarters in Abuja.
The partnership was cemented during a courtesy visit to NITDA Director General, Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, by a NAWOJ delegation led by National President Comrade Aishatu Ibrahim, who introduced the agency to the forthcoming Women in Security (WINSEC) Summit & Awards 2026.
Inuwa, represented by Dr. Aristotle Onumo, the Director of the Stakeholders Management and Partnerships Department, assured the association that NITDA would not only participate in the conference, but also support the success of the conference.
Inuwa hailed the NAWOJ for creating a platform for peacebuilding, dialogue on security and women’s inclusion, which he described as one of the critical areas NITDA is focused on to ensure that more women obtain digital literacy and skills under the National Gender Inclusive Strategy.
Beyond NITDA’s plan to participate in the conference, the DG noted that a robust partnership between the organisations would engender meaningful opportunities and initiatives through which many more women can access digital literacy.
“Inclusivity is the key to everything we do at NITDA. We clearly defined that 40 per cent of our programmes must recognise the issue of gender. We ensure that women are adequately represented and positioned to benefit greatly from the programmes that we organise in the agency.
“We graciously accept to participate actively in that conference. Apart from acquiring skills among journalists themselves, partnership with NAWOJ will also serve as a platform through which we can also reach out to various women’s groups across the federation,” Inuwa said.
Earlier, Comrade Ibrahim commended the DG for his visionary and transformational leadership which has continued to position NITDA as the catalyst for Nigeria’s digital economy through its various programmes.
She explained that the Women in Security (WINSEC) Summit and Awards 2026 is an initiative of NAWOJ designed to promote collaboration among government institutions, security agencies, technology experts, the media, and other stakeholders to address contemporary security challenges.
According to Comrade Ibrahim, the association also aims to recognise outstanding individuals and institutions that have demonstrated excellence in security, governance, and innovation while fostering meaningful dialogue on the role of technology in building a safer and more resilient Nigeria.
“We deeply appreciate your exemplary leadership, passion for innovation, and unwavering commitment to building a digitally empowered Nigeria. We respectfully invite the agency to partner with NAWOJ in making this landmark initiative a success.
“We look forward to establishing a long-term partnership with NITDA that will empower women journalists with cutting-edge digital skills, support digital inclusion and contribute to innovation, digital literacy, and human capital development,” the NAWOJ president added.
Both organisations expressed optimism that the meeting would lay a solid foundation for a rewarding partnership agreement with specific and clearly defined objectives that will support digital inclusion and contribute to innovation, digital literacy, and human capital development.
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