E-Business

Global Enterprises Loss Over $315Bn to Organized Crime Annually

Published

11 years ago

March 18, 2014

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Enterprises worldwide are expected to spend nearly $500 billion in 2014 to deal with issues caused by malware deliberately loaded onto pirated software — $127 billion dealing with security issues.

Middle East and Africa will account for $8 billion of the costs and $364 billion dealing with data breaches, according to a new joint study conducted by IDC and the National University of Singapore (NUS).

Global consumers, on the other hand, are expected to spend $25 billion, including Middle East and African consumers who will pay $2 billion, on security threats and costly computer fixes stemming from malware on pirated software.

This will also amount to 1.2 billion hours of wasted time in 2014.

The study, titled “The Link Between Pirated Software and Cybersecurity Breaches,” also revealed that 60 percent of consumers surveyed say their greatest fear from infected software is the loss of data, files or personal information, followed by unauthorized Internet transactions (51 percent) and hijacking of email, social networking and bank accounts (50 percent).

However, 43 percent of those same respondents do not install security updates, leaving their computers open to attack by cybercriminals.

“There is now a firm link between the detected malware on illicit software and criminal organizations, for which malware in pirated software can be a lucrative vector for cyberattacks. With many of these criminal organisations also behind the distribution of infected software, it means that an increase in software piracy translates to an increased vulnerability to cyberattacks,” said Daniel Kamau, anti-piracy lead for sub-Saharan Africa. “In the sub-Saharan region, the internet population is fast growing, meaning a large and unsuspecting base of targets to cybercriminals. Combine this with the lack of strong cybercrime laws and high piracy rate on the continent and its clear why we’re seeing more and more people fall victim to attacks.”

Government officials expressed concern about the potential impact of cybersecurity threats to their nations. According to the survey, governments are most worried about the loss of business trade secrets or competitive information (59 percent), unauthorized access to confidential government information (55 percent), and the impact of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure (55 percent).

It is estimated that governments could lose more than $50 billion to deal with the costs associated with malware on pirated software.

The African continent accounts for only 2 percent of global GDP, yet it accounts for 10 percent of global cybercrime incidents.

Across the continent, governments are increasingly partnering with local associations and vendors to combat the scourge of piracy and the associated risk of cybercrime.

In Nigeria, Microsoft has already partnered with the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) to combat piracy, which according to the 2011 BSA Global Software Piracy Study, currently sits at 83% across the East and Southern Africa region.

On this occasion of “The Microsoft Play it Safe Day”, The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) would like to remind all Nigerians that:

a) “Supplying pirated software material is a criminal offence under The Copyright Act, which can earn the supplier, a fine of up to a 1000 Naira for each offending item and or a custodial sentence of up to 5 years in prison. Furthermore, anyone who buys pirated software material may find themselves being charged as an accessory to a criminal offence.

“b) Apart from the criminal charge; supplying pirated software material, is also a civil infringement of the copyright owners’ rights; which apart from the criminal sentence, can also simultaneously attract heavy monetary damages against the offending supplier.

“c) Using pirated software, leaves the computer or other implicated system of such user exposed to malware, cybercrime/cyber insecurity, which can put sensitive personal and or business information at risk, “ Afam Ezekude, executive director, Nigerian Copyright Commission.

The Nigerian Copyright Commission, encourages all Nigerians to “Play It Safe”; stay out of prison; keep you from punitive civil liability; protect your computers and digital systems from malware and cybercrime, do not supply or patronize pirated software.

“Cybercriminals are profiting from any security lapse they can find, with financially devastating results for everyone,” said David Finn, executive director and associate general counsel, Microsoft Cybercrime Center.

“Motivated by money, they’ve found new ways to break into computer networks so they can grab whatever they want: your identity, your passwords and your money. That’s why at the Microsoft Cybercrime Center, we’re focused on putting an end to these malicious acts to keep personal and financial data safe and secure, while reducing the financial incentive for criminals.”

The study was released yesterday as part of Microsoft’s “Play It Safe” campaign, a global initiative to create greater awareness of the connection between malware and piracy.

Additional highlights from the survey include that nearly two-thirds of enterprise losses ($315 billion) will be at the hands of organized criminals.

Also nearly 20 percent of the pirated software in enterprises is installed by employees.

And twenty-eight percent of enterprise respondents reported security breaches causing network, computer or website outages occurring every few months or more; 65 percent of those outages involved malware on end-user computers.

“Using pirated software is like walking through a field of landmines: You don’t know when you’ll come upon something nasty, but if you do it can be very destructive,” said John Gantz, chief researcher at IDC. “The financial hazards are considerable, and the potential losses could leave once-profitable businesses on shaky ground. Buying legitimate software is less expensive in the long run — at least you know that you won’t get anything ‘extra’ in the form of malware.”

The NUS forensics analysis of 203 new PCs loaded with pirated software found that a staggering 61 percent of the PCs were pre-infected with unsafe malware, including Trojans, worms, viruses, hacktools, rootkits and adware.

These PCs, purchased through resellers and PC shops in 11 markets, included more than 100 discrete threats.

“It is hugely concerning that brand new PCs are coming pre-infected with dangerous malware due to pirated software, making the users and companies readily vulnerable to security breaches,” said Professor Biplab Sikdar, Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore.

“The university’s forensic tests clearly indicate how cybercriminals are increasingly leveraging the unsecure supply chain of piracy to spread malware and compromise PC security in a serious way. We would only recommend usage of genuine software for online safety and cybersecurity.”

The global study surveyed 1,700 consumers, IT workers, chief information officers, and government officials in Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and analyzed 203 computers acquired in Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United States.

This year’s research is an extension of IDC’s 2013 study, “The Dangerous World of Counterfeit and Pirated Software,” differentiated by the attitude of government officials as well as the analysis of new markets, making the economic connection to cybercrime.

Whether an individual user, a small business, enterprise or even a government institution, all are encouraged to buy new computers from reputable sources to ensure they receive genuine software.

Microsoft said it is committed to protecting its unsuspecting consumers from downloading or purchasing no genuine software that exposes victims to malware that can lead to identity theft, loss of data and system failures.

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E-Business

Konga Health To Appoint Resellers for L’Oreal Dermatological Beauty Products and others Nationwide

Published

20 hours ago

September 17, 2024

Ugo Onwuaso

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Konga Health in partnership with L’Oréal, a global leader in premium skincare, has announced the appointment of prospective authorized professional resellers of its high-demand products.

Konga Health

This exciting opportunity offers structured Nigerian retailers, wholesalers, healthcare professionals, and structured online sellers a chance to join the growing network of resellers for world-renowned brands such as CeraVe, La Roche-Posay and others.

The partnership between L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty and Konga Health has been instrumental in bringing genuine top-tier skincare solutions to the Nigerian market. With a commitment to providing access to premium, dermatologist-recommended skincare products, this new initiative is set to expand the brand’s presence while offering businesses a profitable opportunity to grow their offerings.

This initiative is open to various business models, whether you’re a retail store, an online seller, a wholesaler, or a healthcare professional—be it a dermatologist, pharmacist, or aesthetician.

The beauty industry has shown tremendous growth globally, and partnering with L’Oréal through Konga Health presents a unique chance to expand your portfolio with premium skincare brands that practically sell themselves.

L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty is known for its science-backed products, trusted by dermatologists and healthcare professionals around the world.

Joining this network of professional resellers means gaining access to some of the most highly regarded skincare products, enabling resellers to meet the growing demand for effective, high-quality skincare solutions.

As an authorized reseller, businesses will benefit from a number of advantages. These include high-profit margins, pre- and post-sales support, comprehensive marketing materials, and product training.

Additionally, the L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty brand enjoys strong nationwide recognition, ensuring that resellers can tap into a large and loyal customer base.

To apply, interested businesses and healthcare professionals should visit: konga.com/resellers, email – [email protected] or call 0907 003 8627 for more information. Applications are open to both new and existing businesses seeking to enhance their offerings and tap into the growing demand for premium skincare products.

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E-Business

NOTAP to Strengthen IP Rights in Nigeria

Published

2 days ago

September 16, 2024

Comms Week

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National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) has restated its commitments to strengthen the Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) of Nigerian innovators and inventors to boost the creative ability of people to develop solutions to the many challenges confronting the people.

Dr. Obiageli Amadiobi, director general of NOTAP, made this known in a news conference in Abuja recently to commemorate the 2024 African Day for Technology and Intellectual Property Rights, with the theme “Leveraging Technology and IPRs to Drive the Renewed Hope Agenda”

The NOTAP boss said the commemoration, observed by all African countries on September 13 every year, is important because it will help to facilitate the domestication of technology and the development of IPRs in African states to assist people to develop solutions to the many challenges confronting the continent to eradicate poverty and drive sustainable development.

Amadiobi said that “NOTAP as an agency has the added responsibility of promoting inventions and innovations of Nigerian researchers and has not failed in pursuing the mandate especially in sensitising the research community and the general public on the vital role of IPR in Nigeria’s technological development.”

She noted that these responsibilities were carried out through the establishment of over sixty-five (65) Intellectual Property and Technology Transfers Offices (IPTIOs) across the length and breadth of Nigeria;

Processing of over one thousand (1,000) patent applications received and submitted to the Nigerian Patent and Design Registry; Granting of assistance to researchers at no cost in the acquisition of over three hundred (300) patent certificates from the Nigerian Patent and Design Registry.

She added that 70 of these patent certificates have been commercialised in the Nigerian markets and five (5) in the international markets; while the agency has also launched and distributed publication on “Guidelines for Commercialization of R&D results in Nigeria”; Identification and publishing of a compendium of viable R&D results from various research sectors in Nigeria and Sustained engagements with stakeholders in the National Innovation System (NIS) to facilitate the commercialization of viable R&D products.

She said that an initiative has been taken to develop market ready products and industry trained academia through NOTAP, Industry and Academia linkage project as NOTAP- Industry Technology Transfer Fellowship (NITTF) which has successfully witnessed the engagement of 21 fellows, viable products and generation of valuable Patents.

“To strengthen research and development infrastructure, NOTAP is also engaging the private sector to upgrade laboratories in various tertiary institutions across the country,” she added.

She also reaffirmed NOTAP’s commitment to guiding the process of technology transfer and promotion of IPRs to shore up indigenous inventors and innovators in order to drive progress and harness the benefits of innovation and creativity for the development of Nigeria to build a greater future for us all.

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E-Business

Insider Threats Resonated in Cybervergent Half Year Cyber Threat Report

Published

2 days ago

September 16, 2024

Chike Onwuegbuchi

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Insider threat reverberates in Cybervergent half year cyber threat report between January and June 2024 released over the weekend. According the report, “often underestimated and underestimated, insider threats are like the silent assassins in the gym, packing a knockout punch despite always being overlooked.

“In the first half of 2024 there has been a 50% increase in successful Insider threat attacks within Nigeria alone. Unlike external attackers who rely on fancy footwork and social engineering jabs, insider threats have a secret weapon – trusted access.

“They’re already inside the gym, bypassing security ropes with their legitimate credentials. They know the routines, the weaknesses in the defenses, and can land a surprise blow before anyone notices,” the report stated.

Analyzing the report, Mr. Gbolabo Awelewa, the Chief Solutions Officer at Cybervergent, classified the different types of insider threats to include꞉

Disgruntled Employees꞉ Motivated by anger, financial gain, or a feeling of being benched, these individuals can inflict serious damage.

Accidental Insiders꞉ These are the athletes who forget their water bottles and leave the locker room door open – a simple mistake with potentially big consequences. They highlight the importance of solid security training programs.

Negligent Insiders꞉ These are the gym rats who forget their water bottles and leave the locker room door open – an employee working from a public space and leaving his/her laptop unlocked to dash to the restroom or pick a call; a simple mistake with potentially big consequences. They highlight the importance of solid security training programs.

Credential Compromise꞉ Insiders with compromised credentials, either through phishing scams or malware, become unwitting accomplices, letting attackers into the gym through the back door.

Industrial Espionage꞉ Competitors or foreign agents might try to recruit insiders to steal your intellectual property – like spying on your secret training techniques.

The report also revealed how Cybervergent detected 586,130 attacks on organizations that it manages in Nigeria.

Among the 586,130 attacks launched on various organizations, Cybervergent was able to resolve 226,103 of the attacks by automation, while 19,920 endpoints were protected by Cybervergent.

According to the report, events analysed by Cybervergent’s Security Operations Centre (SOC), reached 304,522, while all potentially malicious events analysed by Cybervergent within the same six months period, reached 42,200.

Mr Awelewa said with the increasing threat in the cyberspace, organizations must ensure that regular application and systems updates are carried out on existing applications and systems to prevent the attacks at scale.

Highlighting the threat actors that targeted Nigeria in the first half of the year, Awelwewa listed them to include: Gelsemium, Equation Group, Lyceum, Gamaredon, Circus Spider, Mirage, Common Raven, Bronze Highland, Earth Krahang, as well as Insider Threat Syndrome.

According to him, Gelsemium is a sophisticated cyber espionage group known for its targeted attacks on high‑profile organisations across various sectors.

“They use custom malware and advanced techniques to evade detection, and their target is on public administration, educational services and national security,” he said.

The also spotted common cyber challenges where organizations were struggling such as: Outdated Equipment꞉ Legacy systems were holding many organizations back, making them easy targets for modern cyber threats.

Limited Resources꞉ Smaller organizations and even some larger ones were struggling to afford the right equipment (security tools) and trainers (skilled personnel) for a comprehensive workout.

Lack of Knowledge꞉ Many organizations were uninformed about the latest fitness trends (security standards) like ISO 27001꞉2022, CBN Frameworks, and PCI DSS 4.0, leaving them vulnerable to injury (a data breach).

Human Error꞉ Insufficient training led to avoidable errors, opening the door for cyber attackers.

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