E-Business
Nigeria, Others See a Decrease of Ordinary Threats, Experience Increase of Targeted Malware
According to Kaspersky’s latest research on the threat landscape trends, South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria are facing a dramatic change in the threat landscape.
While regular, self-propagating malware is decreasing dramatically, as it is no longer effective and cannot fly under security radars, the region will see the growth of new cybercrime models in the upcoming year.
While comparing the overall number of mass cyberattacks in 2021, security researchers at Kaspersky noticed a 7.5% decrease in Nigeria, 12% decrease in South Africa and an unprecedented 28.6% decrease in Kenya.
The reason for such a change was the introduction and popularisation of new cybercrime models in the region, with cybercrime tools becoming more targeted along with a long running trend where malware creators rely not on the technical advantage of their technologies over security protection, but on the human factor.
This has stimulated the evolution of phishing schemes in 2021. In particular, the region saw a wave of ‘Anomalous’ spyware attacks.
The usual phishing spyware attack begins when attackers infect a victim by sending them an e-mail with a malicious attachment or a link to a compromised website and ends when the spyware is downloaded and activated on the victim’s device.
Having gathered all necessary data, the operator usually ends the operation by attempting to leave the infected system unnoticed.
In the anomalous attacks, however, the victim’s device becomes not only a source of data but also a tool for spyware distribution.
Having access to the victim’s email server, the malware operators use it to send phishing emails from a legitimate company’s email address. In this case, anomalous spyware attacks an organisation’s server for collecting stolen data from another organisation and sending further phishing emails.
“The Anomalous spyware attacks have a huge potential for growth in South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria in 2022, because unlike regular spyware the entry level for attackers who wish to employ this tactic is significantly lower – since instead of paying for their own infrastructure, they abuse and employ the victims’ resources.
We see that cheaper attack methods have always been on the rise in the region and cybercriminals quickly pick up on new tactics. Kaspersky therefore suggests that in the nearest future, these countries should be prepared for such attacks”, says Maria Garnaeva, Senior Security Researcher at Kaspersky ICS CERT team.
However, the mass scale attacks are not disappearing, but rather transforming. Garnaeva also reports on a mass-scale and pervasive fake installers campaigns, where fake pirated software sites serve up malware as a service.
The scheme is usually the following: a user searches for a free version of an extremely popular legitimate spyware. The cybercriminals are offering them a fake installer using ‘black SEO technic’ – the abuse of the legitimate search engines, resulting in the offering of the fraudulent websites first. As a result of software installer execution, a few dozen malware samples are downloaded and installed with a goal of turning the infected devices into a part of the Glupteba botnet.
The whole fake installers campaign and botnet has been extremely active in South Africa in 2021 and continues to evolve, yet it is scarcely researched.
“While the Glupteba botnet seems to be a threat for consumers, we are still researching it and keeping an eye on its behaviour, since some distributed malware resembles APT-related samples like Lazarus APT groups and were recently used in the largest DDoS attack in Russia.
It is too early to say it with a high level of confidence, but these factors may suggest that we are now entering the era where APT actors start to use existing malware distribution platforms which makes an attribution of such attacks harder and opens a new vector similar to supply chain attacks,” adds Garnaeva.
In order to stay protected from such new cybercrime models and threats, Kaspersky recommends the following:
- Pay close attention to and don’t open any suspicious files or attachments received from unknown sources.
- Do not download and install applications from untrusted sources.
- Do not click on any links received from unknown sources and suspicious online advertisements.
- Create strong passwords and don’t forget to change them regularly.
- Always install updates. Some of them may contain critical security issues fixes.
- Ignore messages asking to disable security systems for office software or antivirus software.
- Use a robust security solution appropriate to your system type and devices, such as Kaspersky Internet Security
Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC), has expressed its commitment to balance information around data privacy and protection.
Dr. Vincent Olatunji, national commissioner, NDPC, stated this in Abuja, at the National Data Privacy Summit with the theme, “Privacy in the Era of Emerging Technologies,” organised by the commission.
Olatunji said the NDPC, at the moment, was looking at balancing information around data privacy and protection.
“What we are doing is just to look at how to balance information around privacy and protection, which is really important, because as we are innovating, at the same time, we have to consider issues around privacy and protection,” he stated.
He added that the commission has been very bold in taking risks that would bring about growth.
“Our starting point is growing at a very alarming rate, and we are not afraid of anything. We can take risks. And that is why a lot is happening in Nigeria, and this is the level of clarity,” he explained.
In his address, Dr. Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), stated that Internet of Things holds promise for Nigeria’s economy.
The EVC, who was represented by Abraham Oshadami, executive commissioner, Technical Services (ECTS), noted that, “in an era in which digital assets, Internet of Things, future digital computing and other transformative technologies are key, and both a cornerstone of building trust for the adoption and a prerequisite for sustainable progress.
“Emerging technologies hold immense promise for Nigeria’s grand economy, but they also introduce complex risks to personal and individual rights.
“So, balancing innovation through post-ethical safeguards and public trust is the first step to ensuring that global digital advancement benefits all Nigerians without compromising their privacy or their security,” he added.
“As we just heard from the Nigeria Police, telecom operators have a vast amount of sensitive historical information daily, including connectivity apps and collaboration on privacy, security, and number protection, both to their and their inheritors,” he said.
Dr. Bako Shurkuk, commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation, Plateau State, who represented Caleb Mutfwang, Governor of Plateau State, said, emerging technologies can be harnessed to attain sustainable growth.
E-Business
OADC Lagos Reinforces Commitment to Local Data Hosting and Digital Transformation @ NDPC’s National Privacy Week Summit
Open Access Data Centres (OADC) Lagos has reaffirmed its commitment to Nigeria’s data protection and digital transformation agenda through its sponsorship and active participation in the Nigeria Data Protection Commission’s (NDPC) National Privacy Week Summit.
The National Privacy Week Summit, organised by the NDPC, convened policymakers, regulators, technology providers, and industry stakeholders to promote data privacy awareness, strengthen compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA), and advance conversations around data security, sovereignty, and responsible data governance.
As a sponsor of the event, OADC Lagos demonstrated its continued support for the Federal Government’s drive toward local data hosting and data domiciliation, which are increasingly critical to safeguarding sensitive information, enhancing regulatory compliance, and building trust in Nigeria’s digital economy.
Through its carrier-neutral, Tier III Design certified data centre in Lekki, Lagos, OADC provides secure, resilient, and compliant infrastructure that enables government institutions and private sector organisations to host and manage data locally while meeting international best practices.
Commenting on the engagement, Adesola Adesugba, Country Marketing Manager, Open Access Data Centres Nigeria, said: “We are proud to have supported the Nigeria Data Protection Commission through the National Privacy Week Summit and to stand alongside the government in advancing Nigeria’s digital transformation objectives.
“Strengthening local data hosting and domiciliation is fundamental to national data sovereignty, improved security, and sustainable digital growth, and OADC Lagos remains committed to enabling this future.”
OADC’s participation at National Privacy Week Summit underscores its role as a trusted digital infrastructure partner to government and enterprise, supporting secure cloud connectivity, regulatory compliance, and the long-term development of Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
Open Access Data Centres is part of the WIOCC Group and operates open-access, world-class data centres across Africa, serving cloud providers, network operators, enterprises, and public sector institutions.
Kaspersky’s new online tool has been specially developed for industrial organisations to assess the potential costs associated with insufficient operational technology (OT) security.
By offering detailed financial forecasts, the calculator empowers senior management to make well-informed decisions regarding security investments.
Industrial organisations increasingly depend on interconnected systems, elevating cybersecurity to a critical factor in business resilience and profitability.
According to VDC Research, over 60% of industrial companies last year reported that cybersecurity breaches had led to significant costs. Despite this, a persistent disconnect remains between security teams and executive leadership as security professionals focus on minimising risk, while executives must balance cybersecurity concerns with broader business objectives. This misalignment often results in competing priorities and underfunded security initiatives.
To bridge this gap, Kaspersky has launched the OT Cybersecurity Savings Calculator, an innovative online tool designed specifically for industrial organisations to assess the potential costs of inadequate operational technology (OT) security¹.
The primary aim of this tool is to translate cyber risks into tangible financial metrics and support strategic discussions around priorities and budget allocation. By entering details such as their sector, sub-sector, region, company size, breach history, and existing cybersecurity measures, organisations can estimate their potential cost savings and receive customised, actionable recommendations.
The calculator benchmarks performance against industry peers and highlights the company’s position within the current threat landscape.
“We believe this calculator is a powerful resource for transforming complex cyber risk data into straightforward financial insights. It enables OT leaders, security professionals, and executive teams to develop clear, data-driven business cases and recognise the value of cybersecurity investments. With actionable guidance, it promotes a comprehensive approach to resource management and strengthens overall organisational resilience,” comments Andrey Strelkov, Head of Industrial Cybersecurity Product line at Kaspersky.
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