E-Business
How InfoSec Professionals Enhance their Skills in 2023
The way InfoSec students and professionals are learning is changing as quickly as cyberthreats and the technologies they are developing to hunt them.
The latest data collected from Kaspersky Expert Training courses reveals – for the second year in row – that reverse engineering remains the most on-demand skill IT security professionals want to advance.
From students who are beginners in malware analysis, to advanced practitioners with a desire to enhance this skill further by analysing real malicious codes, reverse engineering still sits brightly on top of the educational pyramid. Students have also shown high interest in the courses related to incident response and Yara rules.
Apart from the growing interest in malware analysis, the Kaspersky team observed some more trends in online-education for InfoSec professionals in 2023: Study, learn more, learn forever
The InfoSec sphere is dynamically evolving so practitioners can no longer be educated just once and remain sought-after specialists without additional learning and practice. If InfoSec practitioners do not upgrade their knowledge and skills periodically, they can fall out of the market. Age is no longer an indication of interest – courses are followed at 18, 30 or 50 years old. Nor is time – a few hours, days or months can be devoted to training.
Statistics from Kaspersky Expert Training courses, shows the desire to learn manifests itself at any age and at any scale. One student from this platform has spent there more than 130 days continuously in 2023 – almost one third of a year! The first 70 days he has devoted to the malware analysis, the second 60 days – to reverse engineering.
Asynchronous style
The ability to learn any time, any place, anywhere – asynchronous learning – is now the most popular format with students who are not tied to a fixed course schedule and independently choose the conditions under which they will learn the topic: time, location, pace, order of studying materials, etc.
Attracting professionals from the information security sector, this learning style allows them to exchange experience with colleagues from other countries at any time, and receive the latest information about current cyber threats, useful tools and malicious techniques used by cybercriminals.
According to Kaspersky statistics, students spent an average of 560 minutes in each training program in 2023, with the most engaging expert courses devoted to advanced malware analysis techniques and Yara rules. In total, trainees spent more than 4,000 minutes on these courses.
No more long videos
Modern online courses emphasise short modules, breaking up long video courses into chunks to help students memorise large blocks of information sequentially. Typically, each lesson explains something specific and builds one skill.
The goal is to repeat small pieces of complex information to gradually build a greater understanding of the studied topic. Kaspersky expert trainings are usually divided into 30-40 small videos to facilitate the learning process and enhance its efficiency.
Theory is not enough
For students today, the greatest payback is not just theoretical learning, but an opportunity to enhance practical skills, analyse real cases with qualified teachers and develop their own projects. The biggest advantage for InfoSec trainees is if the education provider helps students to check their level of understanding and analyse real samples.
According to Kaspersky’s statistics, each student has spent an average of 20 hours in the Virtual Lab, a secure online environment created specifically to enhance practical skills. The most practically oriented courses were related to malware analysis and reverse engineering.
Self-education remains the trend
Self-learning can be a part of traditional education, or take the form of informal learning – either completely independent or relying on the advisory support of a trainer – giving each individual maximum opportunity to realise their potential, regardless of place, time and other circumstances.
The Kaspersky team regularly observe that a great number of students ask for additional materials that they can use to study on their own and extend their knowledge.
If you are interested in information security and would like to enhance your hard skills in malware analysis, incident response, product security assessment and other fields, enroll in a Kaspersky Expert Training and enjoy this interesting journey with Kaspersky experts.
Fifty selected young unemployed Nigerians have completed a four-week intensive digital skills bootcamp under the Digital Literacy for All (DL4ALL) initiative, gaining practical training in Data Science, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and IT Essentials.
The programme, a collaborative effort between the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and Cisco, was hosted at NITDA’s South West Zonal Office in Victoria Island, Lagos.
Speaking on behalf of the Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa , the Head of the South West Zonal Office, Mrs. Chioma Okee-Agugwo, described the initiative as a vital component of Nigeria’s digital future. “This is not just a closing ceremony. It is the launchpad for new journeys—anchored in digital knowledge and powered by innovation,” she remarked.
According to the Director General, the initiative is rooted in NITDA’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2.0) and reflects key focus areas including Digital Literacy, Emerging Technologies, and Youth Empowerment. It also aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to accelerate economic diversification through digitisation, innovation, and skills development.
Inuwa noted that the DL4ALL initiative forms part of Nigeria’s broader commitment to digital inclusion—ensuring that no one is left behind in the evolving digital economy. It also supports the ambitious goal of achieving 70% digital literacy by 2027, championed by the Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani. This national vision aims to equip millions of Nigerians with the skills required to thrive in a tech-driven world.
He further emphasized the importance of empowering youth with globally relevant skills. “They are no longer just consumers of technology. They are creators, innovators, and future employers,” he said.
The NITDA boss explained that throughout the bootcamp, participants engaged in hands-on learning experiences designed to build both technical proficiency and digital leadership capabilities.
“This is only the beginning,” he stated. “Through our zonal strategy, we are bringing innovation closer to local communities. This is how we democratise access and unlock Nigeria’s full digital potential.”
Inuwa expressed appreciation to Cisco for delivering high-impact training and called on stakeholders to continue investing in partnerships, people, and platforms that drive digital inclusion.
He asserted that the newly certified participants are now equipped to contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s digital economy—armed with the skills to build solutions, secure infrastructure, and launch tech ventures that solve real-world problems.
At the end of the bootcamp, participants demonstrated their knowledge through impressive presentations that showcased the integration of skills acquired across Data Science, AI, and IT Essentials. Many spoke passionately about how the programme had expanded their technical competence and sparked a drive to create job opportunities—not only for themselves but also for others—as entrepreneurs and digital solution providers in their communities.
Coinbase forecast a hit of between $180m and $400m from a cyberattack that breached account data of a “small subset” of its customers, the crypto exchange said in a regulatory filing on Thursday.
The company received an anonymous email on May 11, claiming to have information about certain customer accounts as well as internal documents.
While some data — including names, addresses and emails — was stolen, the hackers did not get access to login credentials or passwords, Coinbase said.
Still, it will reimburse customers who were tricked into sending funds to the attackers.
Hackers had paid multiple contractors and employees working in support roles outside the US to collect information.
The company has fired those involved, it said.
Separately, the New York Times reported that the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) was investigating whether the company had misstated its user numbers.
Coinbase shares extended losses after the report and were last down 6.5%.
“This is a hold-over investigation from the prior administration about a metric we stopped reporting two-and-a-half years ago, which was fully disclosed to the public,” said Paul Grewal, Coinbase’s chief legal officer.
“While we strongly believe this investigation should not continue, we remain committed to working with the SEC to bring this matter to a close.”
The SEC declined to comment.
The latest developments come days before the company is set to join the benchmark S&P 500 index, casting a shadow over what was expected to be a landmark moment for the crypto industry.
Security remains a challenge for the crypto industry despite its growing mainstream acceptance.
In February, Bybit disclosed a hack in which about $1.5bn worth of digital tokens were stolen — widely described the biggest crypto heist ever.
“The cyberattack may push the industry to adopt stricter employee vetting and introduce some reputational risks,” said Bo Pei, an analyst at US Tiger Securities.
Funds stolen by hacking crypto platforms amounted to $2.2bn in 2024, according to a report from Chainalysis, a US-based blockchain analysis firm.
“As our nascent industry grows rapidly, it draws the eye of bad actors, who are becoming increasingly sophisticated in the scope of their attacks,” said Nick Jones, founder of crypto firm Zumo.
Coinbase has refused to pay a ransom of $20m demanded by the attackers and is working with law enforcement agencies. Instead it has established a $20m reward for information on the hackers.
The company is also opening a new support hub in the US and taking other measures to prevent such cyberattacks, it said.
The Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) presents its report on .ng domain name registration and renewal statistics for the first quarter of 2025, highlighting the continued expansion of Nigeria’s digital footprint. The data underscores a consistent and significant adoption of the nation’s Country Code Top-Level Domain (ccTLD), reinforcing its pivotal role in the burgeoning Nigerian digital economy.
During the period spanning January to March 2025, a total of 40,791 .ng domain names were recorded. This figure comprises 22,236 new registrations and 18,555 renewals, indicating a healthy balance between the acquisition of new digital identities and the sustained commitment of existing domain name holders to their online presence.
Analysis of the registration trends within the quarter reveals a notable upward trajectory, with a 13.92% increase in domain name registrations observed between February and March 2025.
This growth signifies an increasing recognition of the importance of a localized online identity by a diverse range of stakeholders, including individuals, startups, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), and larger organizations.
Notably, the .com.ng extension continues to be the dominant choice, accounting for over 60% of both new registrations and renewals. This reaffirms its status as the preferred domain name extension for Nigerian businesses seeking to establish a credible and locally relevant online brand presence while maintaining global accessibility. The sustained popularity of .com.ng underscores its perceived value among Nigerian entrepreneurs and enterprises seeking to secure their digital real estate.
This upward trajectory isn’t happening by chance. The Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) has remained intentional in its drive for digital inclusion and domain adoption. Through public education, training via the .ng Academy, outreach campaigns, and partnerships with stakeholders across the tech ecosystem, NiRA has consistently advocated for the importance of owning a local domain. The current standing of .ng as the second most registered ccTLD in Africa reflects the efficacy of these efforts.
Digital adoption in Nigeria is no longer just about being online—it’s about owning your digital identity. And with a .ng domain, Nigerians are better positioned to assert that identity, connect with local and international audiences, and gain better control over their digital footprints.
As we look toward the rest of 2025, the Q1 results serve as a strong signal: more people are embracing the digital future, and the .ng domain is increasingly becoming their first step.
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