News
New Emotet Campaign Bypasses Microsoft Blocks to Distribute Malicious OneNote Files
Check Point Research reports that Emotet Trojan launched a new campaign last month to evade Microsoft’s macro block, sending spam emails containing malicious OneNote files. Meanwhile Ahmyth was the most prevalent mobile malware and Log4j took top spot once again as the most exploited vulnerability
Check Point® Software Technologies, a leading provider of cybersecurity solutions globally, has published its Global Threat Index for March 2023. Last month, researchers uncovered a new malware campaign for Emotet Trojan, which rose to become the second most prevalent malware.
As reported earlier this year, Emotet attackers have been exploring alternative ways to distribute malicious files since Microsoft announced they will block macros from office files. In the latest campaign, the attackers have adopted a new strategy of sending spam emails containing a malicious OneNote file.
Once opened, a fake message appears to trick the victim into clicking the document, which downloads the Emotet infection. Once installed, the malware can gather user email data such as login credentials and contact information. The attackers then use the gathered information to expand the reach of the campaign and facilitate future attacks.
“While big tech companies do their best to cut off cybercriminals at the earliest point, it’s near impossible to stop every attack from bypassing the security measures. We know that Emotet is a sophisticated Trojan and it is no surprise to see it has managed to navigate Microsoft’s latest defenses.
The most important thing people can do is make sure they have appropriate email security in place, avoid downloading any unexpected files and adopt heathy skepticism about the origins of an email and its contents” said Maya Horowitz, VP Research at Check Point Software.
CPR also revealed that “Apache Log4j Remote Code Execution” was the most exploited vulnerability, impacting 44% of organizations globally, followed by “HTTP Headers Remote Code Execution” with 43% of organizations worldwide and “MVPower DVR Remote Code Execution” with a global impact of 40%.
Top malware families
Globally, Qbot was the most prevalent malware last month with an impact of more than 10% on worldwide organizations respectively, followed by Emotet and Formbook with a 4% global impact.
In Nigeria, Qbot was the most prevalent malware last month with an impact of more than 32.36%, followed by Expiro with 19.35% and BlackCat with a 9.68% impact.
- Qbot – Qbot AKA Qakbot is a banking Trojan that first appeared in 2008. It was designed to steal a user’s banking credentials or keystrokes and is often distributed via spam emails. Qbot employs several anti-VM, anti-debugging and anti-sandbox techniques to hinder analysis and evade detection.
- Expiro – Expiro is a polymorphic file infector first seen in 2010. It inserts its malicious code into executable files on the infected host. These files lead to new infections when they are run on other machines. Expiro steals user and system information from Windows, as well as FTP credentials.
- BlackCat – BlackCat (aka ALPHV) operates in a ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) business model. BlackCat ransomware is highly customizable ransomware that allows for attacks on a wide range of corporate environments. It targets both Linux and Windows systems, and is coded in Rust.
Top Attacked Industries in Africa
Last month, Manufacturing remained the most attacked industry globally, followed by Consultant and then Leisure/Hospitality.
- Manufactoring
- Consultant
- Leisure/Hospitality
Top exploited vulnerabilities
Last month, “Apache Log4j Remote Code Execution” was the most exploited vulnerability, impacting 44% of organizations globally, followed by “HTTP Headers Remote Code Execution” with 43% of organizations worldwide and “MVPower DVR Remote Code Execution” with a global impact of 40%.
- ↑ Apache Log4j Remote Code Execution (CVE-2021-44228) – A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Apache Log4j. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected system.
- ↑ HTTP Headers Remote Code Execution (CVE-2020-10826,CVE-2020-10827,CVE-2020-10828,CVE-2020-13756) – HTTP headers let the client and the server pass additional information with an HTTP request. A remote attacker may use a vulnerable HTTP Header to run arbitrary code on the victim machine.
- ↑MVPower DVR Remote Code Execution – A remote code execution vulnerability exists in MVPower DVR devices. A remote attacker can exploit this weakness to execute arbitrary code in the affected router via a crafted request.
Top Mobile Malwares
Last month, Ahmyth moved to the top spot as the most prevalent mobile malware, followed by Anubis and Hiddad.
- AhMyth – AhMyth is a Remote Access Trojan (RAT) discovered in 2017. It is distributed through Android apps that can be found on app stores and various websites. When a user installs one of these infected apps, the malware can collect sensitive information from the device and perform actions such as keylogging, taking screenshots, sending SMS messages, and activating the camera.
- Anubis – Anubis is a banking Trojan malware designed for Android mobile phones. Since it was initially detected, it has gained additional functions including Remote Access Trojan (RAT) functionality, keylogger, audio recording capabilities and various ransomware features. It has been detected on hundreds of different applications available in the Google Store.
- Hiddad – Hiddad is an Android malware which repackages legitimate apps and then releases them to a third-party store. Its main function is to display ads, but it can also gain access to key security details built into the OS.
Check Point’s Global Threat Impact Index and its ThreatCloud Map is powered by Check Point’s ThreatCloud intelligence. ThreatCloud provides real-time threat intelligence derived from hundreds of millions of sensors worldwide, over networks, endpoints and mobiles. The intelligence is enriched with AI-based engines and exclusive research data from Check Point Research, the intelligence and research Arm of Check Point Software Technologies.
New data from CFA Society Nigeria is reshaping how the country’s financial sector thinks about talent development, with Access emerging as the single largest source of CFA candidates in Nigeria, distinction industry watchers say signals a deeper shift in how leading institutions are building investment expertise from within.
In its Where Nigeria’s Finance Professionals Work series, published in a national daily, CFA Society Nigeria placed Access first among employers of CFA candidates nationwide, with 82 candidates enrolled in the programme, more than double the 38 recorded at the next-placed institution and well ahead of every other bank or financial services firm on the list.
Access also ranked second among employers of CFA charterholders, with 11 professionals who have completed all three levels of the Programme and met its experience and ethics requirements.
For an industry that has long measured itself by balance sheet size and branch count, the rankings point to a different kind of competition: one over who is building the deepest bench of certified, globally credentialed talent.
CFA Society Nigeria compiled the data from its Salesforce Membership Database as at June 2026, and described the exercise as a way of recognising employers whose people “bring rigour, integrity and global best practices into the workplace every day.”
Analysts following the sector say the outcome is notable less for the ranking itself than for what it suggests about talent strategy across Africa’s financial services industry. A single institution developing more aspiring charterholders than the rest of the market combined raises the floor for professional standards nationally, not just within one balance sheet.
Every candidate who advances through the CFA Programme adds to a shared pool of ethics-trained, analytically rigorous professionals that Nigeria’s capital markets, pension funds and asset managers all eventually draw from.
Access Holdings Group Chief Executive Officer Innocent C. Ike, commenting on the rankings, framed the achievement in terms of institution-building rather than recruitment: “Every candidate on that list represents our commitment to building institutions and professionals that endure.”
The remark echoes a broader thesis increasingly voiced by market observers, that talent depth, not scale alone, is what will determine which African financial institutions earn lasting global credibility.
That distinction sits at the centre of Access’s stated ambition to become the World’s Most Respected African Financial Services Group. If the CFA numbers are any indication, the Group’s route to that goal runs less through square metres of branch network and more through the calibre of the people sitting inside it, a bet that Nigeria’s finance professionals, and the institutions that will one day hire them, are already placing alongside Access.
Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced plans to introduce Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) baggage tracking technology across domestic and international airport terminals to tackle the growing problem of delayed, misrouted and missing luggages
Michael Achimugu, director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, NCAA, disclosed this at a stakeholder engagement forum in Lagos.
Achimugu said the RFID-enabled system would replace the traditional barcode-based baggage tracking framework and provide airlines and passengers with real-time visibility of checked luggage from check-in to final collection.
According to him, the technology would improve baggage traceability, reduce mishandling and strengthen accountability across the baggage-handling chain.
Unlike conventional barcode systems, RFID technology allows baggage to be automatically scanned at multiple points without requiring direct line of sight, enabling real-time tracking of luggage throughout its journey.
Achimugu said issues involving short-landed, missing, lost or damaged baggage had remained among the major complaints from air travellers, alongside flight delays.
He said the introduction of RFID technology was therefore aimed at improving baggage-handling standards and restoring passenger confidence in the aviation sector.
The NCAA said the initiative also aligns with IATA Resolution 753, which requires airlines to track baggage at key points during the passenger journey.
The authority expects the technology to provide more accurate information on the location of luggage, facilitate quicker resolution of baggage-related complaints and improve the overall passenger experience.
The NCAA said the initiative would also strengthen accountability among airlines and other stakeholders involved in baggage handling at Nigerian airports.
eTranzact International Plc has called for increased adoption of digital payment solutions among micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), saying access to technology is critical to improving business efficiency, financial inclusion and growth.
The company also said it was deepening its partnership with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) to expand digital access and financial literacy among small businesses across the country.
In a statement, the Divisional Head, Merchant Services, eTranzact, Mrs. Abimbola Reis, stated this at the SMEDAN/eTranzact Town Hall Engagement in Lagos recently, themed, “Financial Literacy and Inclusion for MSMEs Leveraging on Fintech Innovation.”
Reis described MSMEs as the backbone of Nigeria’s economy, noting that the sector comprises almost 40 million businesses and contributes significantly to economic growth and job creation.
However, she said many businesses continue to face challenges including limited access to finance, inefficient payment systems, weak financial reporting, cash-flow constraints and inadequate access to digital platforms.
She added that trust concerns also affect businesses’ ability to access finance, while heavy reliance on cash increases exposure to theft and makes payment reconciliation more difficult.
Representing the Director-General of SMEDAN, Prof. Yinka Fisher said the town hall was aimed at generating practical ideas and solutions that would support the growth and expansion of MSMEs.
“The essence of this engagement is to share ideas and concepts that will help MSMEs thrive and expand. Our partnership with eTranzact is about expanding the frontiers of MSMEs and ensuring they continue to grow,” he said.
Also speaking, representative of the Director-General of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Dr. Praise Adedigba said businesses could no longer depend solely on hard work to remain competitive.
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