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Sidmach, Sophos Enlighten CybersecurityEexperts on Latest Attackers’ Antics
Information technology security experts have highlighted the growing and persistent threat of malware, especially on mobile, stating categorically that Malware is not slowing down.
This implies that cybercrime is big business and hackers are continually looking for new attack vectors as SophosLabs team see 400,000 new malicious samples every day.
The speakers at one-day Sophos/Sidmach Lunch & Learn event held at Radisson Blu Lagos on Thursday said that the traitors are not resting on their oars to unleash damages to companies’ networks.
Leading the discussions, the Country Manager, Sophos Nigeria, Mr. Jimi Falaiye, said though the new malicious software do not necessarily imply 400,000 programmers writing code, however, it is a heavily automated system that results in bespoke malware – “a virus written just for you”.
He said, while best endpoint technologies will protect organisations against the majority of malware and threat impacting their systems, the threat landscape evolves and cybercriminals continue to morph attacks and work to find new security holes to access organisations, the unknown minority becomes important.
To this end, he opined that with Sophos’ deep learning enabled Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) tools, organisations will add an additional layer to their security posture.
Also speaking, Nathanael Odofin, Market Intelligence and Research Analyst, Sidmach Technologies Nigeria Limited, said that mobile devices are increasingly subject to malicious activities, pushing malware apps to phones, tablets, or other devices, particularly in the era of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) hence organisation must engage the services of renowned IT vendors to assist them tackle the challenges.
According to him, an estimated 54% of companies globally experience at least one cyber-attack every year.
In Nigeria, 60% of firms suffer cyber-attacks. Incidentally, only 38% of global organizations claim they have the infrastructure to handle a sophisticated cyber-attack.
Expatiating on the growing trends of cyber-attacks, Chris Odutola from Sophos cited what the Company termed manual techniques to delivering a ransomware known as SamSam as significantly raised the stakes by charging ransoms from $10,000 to more than $50,000 per attack.
“SamSam choose machines with relatively weak passwords, accessible from outside the organization’s security perimeter. Using this machine as a foothold, the criminals sniff for Domain Admin credentials, waits for the right moment to strike.
“The attacker has the ability to work through impediments like pushing commands, running additional software, that would otherwise prevent the attack”, he said.
Chris noted that this has led, in some cases, to run-and-gun battles between the ransomware criminals and alerted IT staff.
With that reality, he strongly suggested that the best line of defence is to use a multi-layered security strategy to work to protect organisations against both known and unknown threats.
Earlier, the Managing Director of Sidmach Technologies, Mr. Peter Arogundade, said that Lunch and Learn event was aimed at assisting IT experts in different organisations to understand cost effective security dynamics, and tools that mitigate latest threats, while receiving insights to have complete visibility and control of their IT Infrastructure.
The MD, who spoke through the Head of Marketing, at Sidmach, Olanrewaju Adelanwa, described the sessions as crucial as they offered the experts new perspective on better architectures for end-to-end networks threats management with a one-stop-solution that Sophos brings.
“We are not referring to security for just the hardware, the emails and everything within your network protocol that requires protection.
“This even, basically, was organised to bring these professionals together and expose them to insights about what is happening in Nigeria and across the world; for them to see what experts in other climes are doing in the IT security space”, he said.
He warned that businesses that are reluctant to embrace IT security are seated on a keg of gunpowder that may explode any minute.
As Africa and MENA’s startup ecosystems transition from post-correction resilience into a new phase of disciplined growth, the Africa Startup & VC Landscape Preview (ASVLP 2026) will convene leading founders, investors, policymakers, and ecosystem builders on January 29, 2026, for its second annual, agenda-setting virtual forum.
Following a challenging global venture cycle, 2025 marked a notable rebound across the African ecosystem, with startups raising an estimated $3.2–$3.3 billion over the full year.
The recovery was accompanied by significant structural shifts: Kenya emerged as the leading destination among Africa’s “Big Four” markets for the first time, while Nigeria recorded a year-on-year funding decline, reflecting changing investor preferences, macroeconomic pressures, and a broader recalibration toward capital efficiency and sustainability.
Sectorally, fintech remained the most funded vertical, while climate & energy, AI-enabled solutions, healthtech, and infrastructure-adjacent businesses gained increasing attention. Across Africa and MENA, development finance institutions (DFIs) and family offices played a more pronounced role in anchoring funds, deploying catalytic capital, and supporting blended-finance structures, reshaping how early-stage and growth capital is mobilized.
ASVLP 2026 is designed to translate these data points into forward-looking strategy.
The forum will bring together venture capitalists, angel investors, LPs, DFIs, family offices, founders, corporate leaders, and regulators from Africa, MENA, Europe, and North America to assess 2025 outcomes and chart priorities for 2026.
The program will feature keynotes, fireside chats, panels, and deep-dive roundtables, including discussions on:
· The 2026 Africa & MENA FinTech Landscape, focusing on security, profitability, regulation, and growth frontiers
· Emerging Fund Managers, capital formation, and LP alignment
· Talent, operator depth, and institutional capacity as constraints to scale
· Regulatory evolution and cross-border market integration
A major highlight of ASVLP 2026 will be the Final DealRoom Pitch Session, where a curated group of high-potential startups will present to an experienced panel of investors.
• Founders can apply to pitch via: bit.ly/ASVLP-DR-Founders
• Investors seeking DealRoom access can request entry via: bit.ly/ASVLP-DR-Investors
Confirmed speakers for ASVLP 2026 include Khaled Ismail (HIMangel), Idris Ayodeji Bello (LoftyInc Capital), Zachariah George (Launch Africa), Tosin Faniro-Dada (Breega), Selma Ribica (FirstCircle Capital), Maha Mandour (COREangels MEA), Joe Kinvi (Borderless), Remi Prunier (Orange Ventures MEA), Karima El Hakim (Plug and Play Tech Center), Souheil Guessoum (President, The Confederation of Citizen Employers – Algeria (CAPC)), Remi Prunier (Partner, Orange Ventures, MEA), Maha Mandour (COREAngels MEA), Ali Hussein (President, Kenyan FinTech Association), Patrick Okebu (CIO, Interswitch Group) among other leading voices shaping capital, policy, and innovation across the region.
“The conversation has shifted,” said Uche Aniche, Convener of ASVLP. “It’s no longer about whether capital will return to Africa and MENA, but what kind of capital, deployed with what discipline, and in service of which long-term outcomes. ASVLP exists to help the ecosystem make sense of that transition.”
Participation in ASVLP 2026 is free but strictly by invitation.
Interested participants are encouraged to repost the official announcement on LinkedIn and comment #ASVLP2026 to receive a private registration link. They could also email [email protected] and request invite.
Major social media giants Meta Platforms, TikTok and Alphabet’s YouTube will face a landmark jury trial this week in Los Angeles County Superior Court over allegations that their addictive designs have fuelled a youth mental health crisis, marking the first such case to reach this stage.
Social Media
The pivotal personal injury lawsuit centres on a 19-year-old Californian woman identified as K.G.M., who claims her childhood immersion in Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok—engineered with endless scrolls, autoplay videos, notifications and algorithms—sparked severe anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts.
Dozens of similar suits have surged since 2022 from families, schools and states, accusing the firms of burying internal research on teen harms while prioritising ad revenue through youth-targeted engagement hooks, despite Section 230 protections for user content.
Plaintiffs seek damages and design overhauls, arguing platforms bypassed parents and preyed on vulnerable kids; defendants counter there’s no clinical “social media addiction” diagnosis, no proven causation—kids with issues often use less—and they’ve added safeguards like parental controls and time limits.
Echoing Australia’s under-16 bans, the trial will scrutinise thousands of internal documents, expert testimonies and K.G.M.’s story, potentially expanding tech liability amid debates where studies show complex links, not direct causation, between screen time and disorders like eating issues or self-harm.
A win could mandate warning labels, age gates or algorithm tweaks, reshaping global platforms as U.S. Surgeon General advisories and global scrutiny intensify pressure on Big Tech to prioritise child safety over profits.
Meta is gearing up to trial paid subscription services on Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, aiming to diversify revenue streams beyond advertising while maintaining free core access for all users.
Meta
The subscriptions will offer enhanced tools tailored for everyday users, creators, and businesses, including advanced content creation, sharing, and workflow features distinct from the existing Meta Verified verification program. Unlike a uniform rollout, Meta plans varied testing formats per app to match diverse audiences, experimenting with feature bundles based on user feedback to refine the model.
A key element involves integrating Manus, the autonomous agent firm Meta acquired for $2 billion in December, into these apps alongside its enterprise sales. Manus enables complex task automation with minimal input, with early signs like Instagram shortcuts already spotted by reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi.
Video tools feature prominently: Meta’s Vibes short-form video generator in the Meta AI app shifts to freemium, where paid tiers unlock higher monthly creation limits beyond the free baseline. On Instagram, subscriptions could enable unlimited audience lists, non-follower tracking, and anonymous Story views, though specifics for Facebook and WhatsApp remain under wraps.
Drawing from Meta Verified’s 2023 launch—which provides badges, support, and protection mainly for creators—these broader plans target wider appeal amid industry shifts. Ad growth slows against TikTok competition, while Snapchat+ boasts 16 million subscribers at $3.99 monthly, proving demand for value-driven paid perks despite subscription fatigue risks from streaming and storage fees.
Meta will phase tests gradually, prioritizing feedback to shape long-term viability without alienating free users.
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