As smart devices with artificial intelligence (AI) tools, and always-on services become part of everyday life, the cybersecurity habits many people formed a few years ago may no longer be enough.

From AI-powered scams to social media trends that encourage users to upload personal details, the way people interact online is changing quickly. Ensuring that you stay secure now requires small, deliberate actions in your daily digital behaviour. Experts from Kaspersky, a global cybersecurity and digital privacy company, share the below advice to stay safe online.

1. Be cautious with verification requests. Many scams now mimic legitimate verification processes, asking users to confirm accounts, update payment details, or approve login attempts. Because people are used to frequent security prompts, it is easy to respond automatically. Pause before sharing verification codes or personal information and independently verify requests through official websites or by contacting service providers directly.
2. Cultivate healthy AI usage habits. AI agents, chatbots and multimedia-generating apps can be convenient and entertaining, but uploading high-resolution photos or personal information carries privacy implications. Facial images can function as biometric identifiers, and once shared with an online service, be it AI or a social network, control over how that data is stored or reused may be limited. Before using AI tools, review privacy policies, minimise the personal information they provide, and avoid uploading sensitive documents or confidential content.
3. Do your homework on AI. For parents, the rise of AI assistants introduces another dimension. While AI tools can help in making education interactive and gamified, children may turn to AI tools for homework support or entertainment without fully understanding how their data is used or how to evaluate responses critically.

Open conversations about responsible AI use, privacy awareness, and the importance of not oversharing personal information can help children build safe digital habits from an early age.

4. Audit your online subscriptions. Reducing digital exposure is another simple but often overlooked step. Over time, unused subscriptions, dormant accounts, and forgotten apps accumulate personal data and payment details. Regularly reviewing subscriptions, deleting unused accounts, and checking which apps have access to personal information can significantly reduce risks of this data being leaked.

5. Secure your devices and home. Device longevity and smart home security also play an important role. Older devices that no longer receive security updates may contain unpatched vulnerabilities.

Ensure that smartphones, laptops, routers, and smart home devices are running the latest firmware and are protected with strong passwords and multi-factor authentication. Changing default passwords on connected devices and securing home Wi-Fi networks are essential steps in protecting both personal data and physical spaces.

As technology and AI becomes more integrated into daily life, security is less about dramatic measures and more about consistent, informed habits.

“Technology evolves quickly, and our online behaviour should keep pace,” says Brandon Muller, Technical Expert for the Middle East and Africa region at Kaspersky. “Take time to review privacy settings, app permissions, and connected third-party services, removing anything that is no longer needed. By being more deliberate about what we share, how we verify requests, and how we manage our devices, we can significantly reduce exposure to modern cyber risks while enjoying all the benefits of new technologies.”

European Union has unveiled a €290 million investment package for Nigeria, targeting key sectors including digital infrastructure, healthcare manufacturing, agriculture, and migration management.

The announcement was made during the eighth Nigeria–EU ministerial dialogue in Abuja, co-chaired by Yusuf Tuggar and Kaja Kallas. European officials said the funding, part of the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, is designed to strengthen Nigeria’s economy and deepen bilateral cooperation.

The digital sector received the largest allocation, with €131 million set aside to expand connectivity and improve digital services. The initiative aims to deploy about 90,000 kilometres of fibre-optic cable, providing internet access to roughly 33 million Nigerians.g

The programme will also support digital public infrastructure and develop Nigeria’s tech talent pipeline. In the healthcare sector, the European Investment Bank and the Bank of Industry Nigeria signed a €50 million financing agreement to boost local manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, vaccines, diagnostics, and medical devices.

Managing Director of BoI, Olasupo Olusi, described the deal as transformative, saying: “This partnership marks a pivotal step in Nigeria’s journey from being a major importer… to becoming a competitive producer.” EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle added: “We support national health security while improving the resilience of supply chains.”

Another €85 million agreement will support agricultural value chains, particularly cocoa and dairy production, with funding aimed at improving productivity and supporting smallholder farmers and agribusinesses.

EU Commissioner Jozef Sikela said the investment would help Nigeria reduce reliance on imports and scale local production capacity.

The package also includes €16 million for migration management, focusing on reintegration of returnees and efforts to combat human trafficking. Kallas emphasised the broader significance of the partnership, stating: “In the current geopolitical context, the European Union is keen to enhance its partnership with Nigeria.”

Officials noted the investments align with continental goals such as the African Union target of producing 60 percent of vaccines locally by 2040, and the African Continental Free Trade Area framework for regional trade.

The EIB also revealed it has invested over €2.3 billion in Nigeria since 1978, supporting infrastructure, climate resilience, innovation, and small business development.

As part of a joint initiative with AFRIPOL, Kaspersky provided cybersecurity training courses for law enforcement representatives from 23 African countries, unfolding the fundamentals of Security Operations Center (SOC) activities and advanced threat hunting techniques.

As cyberthreats continue to grow in scale and complexity, strengthening the technical capabilities of law enforcement agencies has become an important priority worldwide. Through knowledge-sharing programmes, technology companies can contribute practical expertise gained from real-world cyber investigations and threat analysis.

Such collaboration helps equip law enforcement professionals with the skills and tools needed to investigate digital crimes more effectively and strengthen cybersecurity capabilities.

From November 2025 to March 2026, around 40 African officers from 23 countries* received “Security Operations and Threat Hunting” training, provided as part of the cooperation agreement between Kaspersky and AFRIPOL signed in 2024. During the training, African officers gained practical knowledge of Security Operations Center (SOC) activities and modern cyber-defence practices.

The programme covered key aspects of threat detection and incident investigation, including how to identify malicious activity in Windows and Linux environments, analyse attacker tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) and use threat intelligence to uncover advanced threats.

As part of the training, a series of online Q&A sessions were organised, providing participants with the opportunity to engage directly with experts and course authors from Kaspersky’s Security Services team. These sessions allowed attendees to clarify complex topics, discuss practical cases and receive additional insights, reinforcing the learning experience and ensuring a deeper understanding of key cybersecurity concepts.

“Cybercrime today is highly sophisticated, borderless and constantly evolving, which means no single organisation can tackle it alone. This is why cooperation and knowledge sharing between the private cybersecurity sector and law enforcement agencies are so critical. Our long-standing collaboration with AFRIPOL demonstrates the value of this approach.

“Over the years, Kaspersky and AFRIPOL have worked together to better understand the cyberthreat landscape across Africa and to support international efforts aimed at disrupting cybercrime. By continuing to invest in training and capacity building, we aim to support law enforcement professionals with the expertise they need to investigate digital crimes effectively and contribute to building a safer and more trusted digital environment for everyone,” says Yuliya Shlychkova, Vice President, Public Affairs, at Kaspersky.

“Strengthening the capabilities of law enforcement agencies is essential to effectively address the growing complexity of cybercrime across the African continent. Initiatives such as this training programme play an important role in equipping officers with the practical skills needed to investigate cyber incidents, analyse digital evidence and respond to emerging threats.

“Cooperation with partners from the private cybersecurity sector, such as Kaspersky, helps law enforcement agencies stay informed about the latest threat trends and investigative approaches.

“We highly value this collaboration and the opportunity it creates to further develop the cybercrime response capabilities of AFRIPOL member countries,” says Dr Mohammed Benaired, Head, Training and Capacity Building Division at AFRIPOL.

In 2024, to further enhance global efforts to combat cyber offenses, Kaspersky and AFRIPOL signed a cooperation agreement in preventing and fighting cybercrime.

Covering a period of five years, the document formalises and facilitates cooperation between the company and the law enforcement agency in sharing threat intelligence data on the latest cybercriminal activities and entails the provision of assistance and know-how in information security analysis.

Kaspersky Expert Training is used by numerous organisations and academic institutions to advance their skills in battling against cybercrime. Since the inception of this online training programme, Kaspersky experts have trained more than 3,000 specialists from 50 countries around the world.

Providing their expertise with 12 educational courses, they share their insights on advanced tactics and strategies in Reverse Engineering, Threat Hunting, Incident Response and more – each divided by the level of students’ experience.