E-Business
The Evolving Threat Landscape: Top Cybercrime Trends Organisations Should Take Note of in 2023
By Emmanuel Asika
The cyber threat landscape continued to evolve last year, with malevolent players joining forces more than ever before, exchanging access to networks and systems, sharing malware and sharpening their attack methods.
Such heightened collaboration, coupled with the low cost of malware – three-quarters of malware kits cost less than ₦7,000 – are further triggering cybercrime to be more accessible.
The implication being that more devices and end-users will be vulnerable to being under attack in 2023, and as cyber criminals intensify attempts to access enterprises – these systems, PCs and printers will be at the forefront.
These challenges, for cyber-security experts, will be intensified by the growing economic slump and uncertainties. As cybersecurity spending is set to increase by 13.2% in 2023, cost projections will be under critical observation, with emphasis on the most important cybersecurity demands.
With tough impending decisions, below are four cybersecurity trends that institutions must plan for in 2023:
- Increasing costs can prompt an inflow of cyber hustlers and money mules, powering the cybercrime economy and leaving users at risk
The increase in the cybercrime gig economy, with its swing to platform-based business models, has made cybercrime simpler, affordable, and more dynamic.
Cybercrime devices and mentoring services are readily available at low costs, luring cyber hustlers – adherents with little technical skill – to access needed information to make gains.
With an impending global downturn, easy access to cybercrime tools and skills could enhance the number of scam SMS messages and emails filling our inboxes.
Lured by the potential of quick money, there is a likelihood of seeing more recruits into money-muling schemes, unintentionally encouraging the cybercrime ecosystem as enablers of fraudulent transactions, money laundering, and perhaps ransoms payments.
The interrelated nature of the cybercrime gig economy means that threat actors can easily make money from email compromise attacks.
If they find a victim and succeed by compromising an enterprise device, they can market that access to bigger ransomware gangs. This gives structured groups of hackers more reach, hence feeding into the cybercrime ecosystem.
With increasing attacks against users, embedding security in all devices from the hardware will be significant to prevent, detect and recover from attacks.
Adopting a robust security culture is key for building resilience, however, only when combined with technology that decreases an organization’s attack interface. A whole group of threats can be eradicated without relying on detection by isolating risky activities like malicious emails.
Threat containment technologies in this case ensure that if a user opens a malicious link or attachment, the malware can’t infect any data. With this model, businesses reduce the propensity of malicious attacks and protect employee interests without compromising their workflows.
- Notorious hackers will invest in more attacks below the operating system.
Until recently, firmware attacks were only used by sophisticated threat groups and countries.
However, just last year, early signs revealed an increased interest and development of attacks below the operating system – from tools to hack BIOS passwords, to rootkits and trojans targeting device’s firmware. Today, we now see firmware rootkits advertised relatively cheaply on cybercrime marketplaces.
As one would expect, sophisticated threat actors are always looking to stay one step ahead in terms of their attack capabilities. Unfortunately, firmware security is frequently disregarded by organizations, giving room for adversaries to attack and exploit.
Access to the firmware level allows attackers to gain persistent control and hide below the operating system, making them very hard to detect – let alone remove and remediate.
As such, organizations and individuals must ensure they understand industry best practices and standards for device hardware and firmware security.
Additionally, organizations must further endeavour to understand and evaluate the latest technology readily available to protect, detect and recover from firmware attacks.
- Remote access equipment will be on the forefront for attacks
Session hijacking is anticipated. The year will witness a growth in popularity – where an attacker hijacks a remote access session to obtain an organisation’s sensitive data and systems.
The user is characteristically unsuspecting that anything malicious has happened and takes milliseconds to inject key sequences and issue commands that generate an alternative gateway for persistent access.
It works even if Privileged Access Management (PAM) systems employ Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), such as smart cards.
When a malicious attack links to Operational Technology (OT) and Industrial Control Systems (ICS) running factories and industrial plants, there could also be a noticeable impact on operational readiness and safety – possibly cutting off access to energy or communication for entire areas.
The only way of preventing these kinds of attacks is breaking the attack chain and strong isolation technology, either through using a physically separate system, like a Privileged Access Workstation (PAW), or virtual separation, via hypervisor-based approaches.
- Neglect print security at your risk in 2023
Presently, print security is endangered by the constant tendency to be a neglected factor of the total cybersecurity environment and with more printers connected to corporate networks due to hybrid working, the risks keep increasing. Institutions need to structure security policies and processes for monitoring and protecting print gadgets from attacks, at home and in the workplace.
The challenge is the risk telemetry coming from end points, including printers, is growing by the day. Consequently, we will see institutions concentrate investments on solutions and services delivery that provide functional intelligence rather than merely delivering more security data.
Tackling increasing threats
This year, organisations must be intentional with their security approaches. Often, security glitches start at the endpoint, hence, by embedding protection in these devices, businesses can lessen the burden on their security unit.
Regardless of the threats institutions face in 2023, it is apparent that the tactics we deploy to protect devices and data has to change.
The key consideration here is strategic resource allocation, and the security teams need to recognise the specific areas of the business that are most susceptible to threats, and that would be most impacted in the event of a breach.
It is also vital to have a layered approach to security which will allow institutions to execute isolation, gain actionable intelligence, isolation and more, whilst helping to lessen their attack surface and maintain safety of key data.
Emmanuel Asika is Country Head for Nigeria, at HP
Weebly, US-based free, beginner-friendly, drag-and-drop website builder and eCommerce service, will no longer be available for customers in 67 countries, including Nigeria, after September 2026, according to an email seen by Nigeria CommunicationsWeek.
Weebly said it is “winding down” services in different nations “due to changes in regulation and to simplify our global operations”.
The firm released a timeline of gradual changes, to help existing users access their data before the site shuts down.
Starting June 29, customers of 67 countries were no longer able to publish any new pages.
September 27, 2026: Weebly websites will be unpublished.
Before this date, users should download site content and data. Follow these steps:
Go to Account Settings, click on My Data, and select Download My Data.
This will help you migrate your content to another website provider, or retain it.
Concerned about privacy? Ask Weebly to delete your data, through the Erase Data and Forget Me option under the My Data tab on your account page.
December 26, 2026: Last date of accessing Weebly account.
Until this date, you will have access to the account, although sites will be unpublished.
This period helps users move their site, domains, and data to another service.
Domain names can be moved to another registrar only after 60 days from the registration date.
According to the Weebly website, users must make sure that they do not make changes to your registrant contact information (email, phone number, first/last name), as this will lead to a 60-day registrar lock and prevent you from transferring your domain name.
Note that domain name transfers work differently for country-specific domains; users must contact Weebly’s support team for assistance.
How to unlock, transfer domain name
From your Weebly Dashboard, go to websites, and click on Domains, then select Manage Domain.
Disable registrar lock, get EPP authorisation code, and copy the full code.
Disabling registrar lock will also disable privacy protection. It is important to set privacy protection once again with the new registrar.
Follow the instructions for the newly chosen registrar as the rest of the transfer process will be managed by them
Why is Weebly winding down?
While the firm attributed it to “a change in regulation,” online users have argued that Square, which acquired Weebly in 2018, is pushing its platform ‘Square Online’.
Square is originally a US-based payment processor, and the firm says it has since evolved into the “largest business tech platform”.
It calls Square Online a “free online store” but clarifies that those who do not sell online can also use it to build their websites.
In an earlier support update for the Weebly Website Builder, Square Online was consistently referred to as a better alternative, although at the time, it was said that Square “has no plans to discontinue the Weebly website builder”.
Which countries will Weebly no longer be available in? Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Armenia, Aruba, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbadoa, Belarus, Benin and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Others are: Cambodia, Cameroon, Chile, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, and Côte d’Ivoire.
Also affected are: Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, French Polynesia, Gabon, Georgia, Ghana, Guinea, Iceland, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Laos, Malaysia, Mauritius, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal and New Caledonia.
The rest are: Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Paraguay, Peru, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Korea, Suriname, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
National Office for Technology Acquisition and Transfer (NOTAP), has commenced the process of patenting and commercialisation of research works by universities and other research institutions in the country.
Dr. Obiageli Amadiobi, director general of NOTAP
Dr. Obiageli Amadiobi, director general of NOTAP, stated this in Abuja, during an interaction with journalists on her achievements since assuming office.
Speaking on the theme, “Strengthening Indigenous Capacity: NOTAP’s Drive for Technology Transfer, Local Content Development, and Innovative activities,” Amadiobi said the agency had involved both the academia and industry so that researchers can work on topics brought forward for commercialisation purpose.
“My minister is very intentional about this– very intentional about commercialisation of research results, which we have already submitted to him. They are meaningful researches, which we need to commercialise.
“We have established 69 intellectual property technology transfer offices in 69 universities that we are still counting. We have informed the vice chancellors of Nigerian universities to set up such offices and we will come and educate them on intellectual property and technology transfers.
“As we are doing this, we are also taking record of all the researchers of these universities and research centres and documenting them in a compendium.
“So, we have compendiums from the universities to us and we put them in a database. If you will recall, recently, the ministry, our supervising ministry, which is the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology, launched a programme titled Energise Commercialisation. This entirely was for commercialisation of all R&Ds,” she said.
On research Institutions carrying out research on areas of industry needs, she said, “NOTAP is bridging the gap between research and development with industry needs, “it is on our programme called the NITDF, NOTAP Industry Technology Transfer Fellowship. By this programme, we engage the universities and the industries, in what we call the triple helix. We liaise with the universities and the industries to sponsor, the industries will sponsor a Ph.D candidate in a Nigerian university to conduct relevant researches.
“They will provide the topics that they want researches for and such students will research on that with the assistance of the industries, because they wear the shoes, so they know where it pinches them. But usually, there are Ph.D candidates already established. This year alone, we certified about 15 of them to enter into this programme and they have gone into the various universities.
“And we are still looking for people to update some of the projects; the research topics we already have. But we are not getting enough persons to do the researches. So, we are going to do further advertisement to see if other candidates will come up.
Federal government has launched a drive to standardise operations across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) through the nationwide adoption of the new National Digital Alphanumeric Postcode System.
Dr Bosun Tijani, minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, launched the initiative at a high-level stakeholder workshop on Thursday in Abuja.
The conference, themed “Embedding the Nigerian Digital Postcode in Public Service Delivery,” brought together key stakeholders to discuss the adoption of the system across government institutions.
Represented by Nadungu Gagare, permanent secretary of the Ministry, declared that the initiative was a critical pillar for the country’s economic and security framework.
“The Nigerian Digital Postcode represents far more than an improvement to postal services. It is a strategic national asset. Without accurate location intelligence, governments struggle to plan effectively, emergency responders lose valuable time, and financial institutions face verification challenges,” he said.
Tijani said the Alphanumeric digital postcode system was a pathway and a defining moment for Nigeria’s digital transformation under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
He said an accurate national addressing system would enable government agencies to plan better, improve emergency response, support credible census and elections, expand financial inclusion and ensure citizens were not excluded from essential services because of poor location data.
The Minister commended NIPOST for leading the initiative and urged MDAs and state governments to integrate the system into their operations, stressing that its success would depend on collaboration, interoperability, and nationwide adoption.
Omotola Odeyemi, postmaster general and chief executive officer, Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), explained that the digital postcode system creates a “common language of location” for the entire government.
She urged federal and subnational entities to integrate the infrastructure into their daily operations to maximise its value.
“Just as digital identity has helped to establish who a citizen is, this National Digital Postcode helps us to determine where services, opportunities, and interventions should be delivered. Its success will not be measured by the number of postcodes that we generate but by the lives that we improve,” the NIPOST boss explained.
Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, head of the Civil Service of the Federation, represented by Dr Abdul Sule Garba, permanent Secretary of the Service Welfare Office, pledged full administrative backing for the rollout.
She noted that the civil service would be properly equipped to adapt to the data-driven system.
“The operationalisation of the Nigerian digital postcode is a strategic initiative that has the potential to significantly improve public administration, service delivery, and digital governance across the country,” Mrs Walson-Jack added.
The workshop featured live demonstrations and technical panel sessions focused on linking the new digital postcode system directly into national healthcare, social protection, education, and electoral planning.
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